Jamaican trio hunting 110m hurdles hat-trick

PARIS, France:

For eight years, Jamaica has stood atop the podium after the final of the men’s 110-metre hurdles at the Olympic Games. With a chance for a historic hat-trick looming large reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment believes that a another title would shift the power in the event towards Jamaica with the talent the island possesses.

Rasheed Broadbell and Parchment, along with Orlando Bennett, will begin their campaigns tomorrow in the men’s hurdles event at 4:50 a.m. Jamaica time at the Stade de France. The Americans have been the most successful country at this event at the Games,. They have won the title 19 times which includes consecutive wins from 1896 to 1912 and again from 1932 to 1972. But Jamaica athletes have won the last two titles thanks to Omar McLeod in 2016 and Parchment three years ago in Tokyo.

It’s the image that Broadbell has in his mind as he travelled to Paris, looking to be a part of history.

“I was thinking about that while flying in from Madrid. I was like it’s history. There are two hurdlers from home who won it the last two times, I want to be part of that. I want to be a part of those guys bringing home a gold medal. I just want to go out there and do my best and just try and bring home that gold medal,” Broadbell said.

Broadbell, Parchment and Bennett were involved in a battle to the finish at the JAAA/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships last June when it took nearly five minutes to separate the top three with the race too close to call. Broadbell eventually got the victory in 13.18 seconds. Bennett was second and Parchment third.

Having seen the emergence of Jamaica in the discipline and the talent involved Parchment is bullish about the chances to become only the second country to win three consecutive Olympic 110m titles. He knows that he will have to be at full fitness to have a chance.

“That would be amazing. The US have been dominating the hurdles for many years and obviously they are still doing really well. But we intend to take that over. We have a really good set of guys hurdling and the guys are looking really good so far. Once we keep building on the fitness and maintain good health I think we will take it home again,” Parchment said.

“I think that is where I was a bit lacking at trials. I felt like when it comes on to the other things, the technique and so on I made it really well.. My start was good. The time has been good to build on my fitness and I believe I have enough time to get really fit. So I want to use the time wisely to get myself ready to put my best foot forward,” the Olympic champion said.