‘I’ve a good chance of winning’

IN A year that has seen his title dreams come true, Olympic 110m hurdles champion Hansle Parchment is hoping that another achievement is crossed off the list: winning the RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation Sportsman of the Year award.

Parchment leads the field of four finalists, who include his fellow hurdler, Olympic bronze medallist Ronald Levy; Jamaica and West Indies cricketer Nkrumah Bonner; and rallycross driver Fraser McConnell.

After previous bronze medals at the 2015 World Championships and the 2012 London Olympic Games, respectively, Parchment took Olympic gold this summer in Tokyo, becoming the second Jamaican to win the title in the event after Omar McLeod won the title at the Rio Games in 2016.

And while he does not view his nomination as a surprise, Parchment says that it was always a target he wanted to reach, inspired by multiple Olympic and World champion Usain Bolt, who has won the award seven times.

Wasn't a surprise

“It wasn't a surprise because I won the gold medal this year. But that is something that I always thought I should work towards winning. I always see Usain winning every single year, and we know that Usain is the real boss,” Parchment told The Sunday Gleaner. “But I am really happy that I can look forward to moving in that direction.

“Not to say that it is sure, but I know I have a good chance of winning.”

Should his name be called as the winner at the awards ceremony on January 21 next year, he would join Omar McLeod (2017) as the only sprint hurdlers to win the award. With his teammate Levy as a finalist, Parchment says that the recognition has the potential to be a giant leap for sprint hurdling as a whole.

“We always work towards getting to the top, towards making Jamaica proud. And I think where hurdles are concerned, we are doing a really good job in showing the youngsters how important hurdles can be and that we can make hurdling a prime event, a very exciting event that people want to come out and see,” Parchment said.

“So we will keep pushing in that direction and not just me and Ronald, but guys like (Omar) McLeod and even the younger guys coming up,” he stated. “We are definitely looking forward to dominating the 110 hurdles for the next few years to show that Jamaica is the best not just at sprinting flat, but over the barriers as well.”

While optimistic about the long-term future, Parchment says that he is excited for the present, with medal aspirations for next year's World Championships in Oregon, keen to take in all the lessons that success taught him in 2021.

“I'm already raring to go although I am nowhere close to completing preparations. I'm really excited about getting myself ready as best as possible. With all that I have learnt, I want to keep using that and pushing forward to make sure that I am on the medal podium next year,” Parchment said.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com