Pan Am 400m hurdles gold for Hyde

Jamaica’s national anthem boomed throughout the Julio Martínez National Stadium in Santiago, Chile, yesterday, courtesy of 400-metre hurdler Jaheel Hyde.

Competing in the 19th Pan American Games, Hyde clocked a winning time of 49.19 seconds to become the second Jamaican to win the event. It was the first gold of the Games for Jamaica.

Hyde reached the final as the favourite and he didn’t falter. Conditions were cooler when he won his heat in 49.72 seconds two days earlier and he relished the warmer weather with a dominant run. Far behind the Jamaican was Matheus Lima of Brazil who edged Cuban Yoao Illas for the silver – 49.69 to 49.74 seconds.

For Hyde, it was a welcome return to the top step of the podium. He was twice a World champion as an under-20 athlete. He won a World Under-20 title as an under-18 110m hurdler 10 years ago. Twice an Olympian, he has also taken silver and bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games.

The winning margin of 0.5 of a second continued Jamaica’s fine record in the event and put Hyde level with the nation’s first winner of the event, 1987 champion Winthrop Graham.

Thanks to the 26-year-old Hyde, Jamaica now has won medals in this event for the fourth successive Pan American Games. Isa Phillips, Roxroy Cato and Kemar Mowatt reached the podium in 2011, 2015 and 2019, respectively.

In addition, Dean Griffiths took the bronze in 2003.