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Hurdler Levy sets sights on sub-13 seconds club

Published:Saturday | June 16, 2018 | 12:00 AMAkino Ming

Commonwealth Games champion Ronald Levy says he is looking to put together a smooth race before the end of the season to join that coveted sub-13 seconds club in the 110 metres hurdles.

The former St Elizabeth Technical athlete said that his training indicates that he is in sub-13 seconds form, but he has not been able to transfer it to the track yet.

"To get under 13 seconds, I just have to keep doing what I have been doing in training. I just want to put what I am doing in training on the track. Once I do what I am doing in training, then sub-13 seconds would be pretty easy," Levy said. "I think I can get below 12.90 seconds. I just have to put the race together, and I intend to do that before the end of the season."

After showing his ability to do well in a variety of events as a junior, Levy came to prominence in the sprint hurdles last season, stringing a series of great performances together, including his personal best time of 13.05 seconds in the Diamond League in Paris.

But though he was immaculate on the track and field circuit, Levy was knocked out of the event at the semi-final stage at the IAAF World Championship of Athletics in London.

He, however, brushed that aside earlier this season when he claimed his first title as a senior athlete at the Commonwealth Games, winning in 13.19 seconds.

"I have really worked hard to get where I am at now, but it feels normal," Levy said in a recent interview with The Sunday Gleaner. "I just want to focus on what I have to do and don't get distracted by anything right now."

If Levy achieves his goal this season of running under 12.90 seconds, it would put him fifth on the all-time list of fastest men in the event. His compatriot, Omar McLeod, currently holds that position with 12.90 seconds and the Jamaican national record.