Parchment keeping his focus

A redemption or revenge tour is far from the mind of Olympic 110 metres hurdles champion Hansle Parchment this season. Despite a season that had unfortunate endings at the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, Parchment is keeping his focus to deliver his best, ensuring that the outcome is much different.

Parchment started his 2023 campaign in the 200 metres at the Velocity Fest meet at the National Stadium on Saturday, finishing third in 21.53 seconds. For him, it was an unconventional way to start the season, having not competed in the discipline before but he said it was a good way to lay the foundation for when he starts hurdling at the Drake Relays this weekend.

“It’s just a part of training. I had never tried it before but I said, ‘Let’s see what I can do’. Maybe I can try it again when I am a lot fitter,” Parchment told The Gleaner. “This is not me, this is not my event. But it was a good try. But I am looking forward to this week as I should be hurdling.”

Parchment was having a great season last year but was hit with injuries at the worst possible times, as he was unable to compete in the World Athletics Championships final last July or the Commonwealth Games final in August.

Parchment’s motivation for this year is not to right the wrongs of a season that did not see fortune smile on him but to keep on the path that he has been on with the same mindset for success.

“It’s the same goals, the same everything. I am just going out there to do my best and try to execute as best as possible. Trying to keep the same goals that I had set before. So not really thinking about anything else,” Parchment said.

“It has been good so far. Happy with the development of the start as well. Definitely looking forward to starting some hurdling and running some fast times.”

He is also hoping that he and the other competitors will be able to stay healthy this season which is anticipated to be a fight to the finish to secure spots on the World Championships team this summer in Hungary

“Everybody is looking good so far. Everybody running really well. I’m just hoping that everybody stays healthy which means we are going to have a stacked field and we can test each other at our best,” Parchment said.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com