Sprint hurdler Parchment looks to the future

PARIS, France:

It was not an ideal scenario for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games champion Hansle Parchment to be having before his men’s 110-metres hurdles final. But while it has been an up and down season, he applauded national teammate Rasheed Broadbell in getting his first major global championship medal and believes there is still more to come from him.

Parchment finished eighth in the final in 13.39 seconds in a race that he said he had challenges staying warm throughout. While he is not excusing how he performed, he said that it is something he has to try and figure out how to manage in the future.

“I wasn’t able to fix the situation as I got cold between call room and at the line. I had that problem from the first round and the way I felt in warm up, I didn’t get that to translate into the race. That is something I have to figure out because everywhere you go you have something different. You won’t have things being the same way. So I have to find a way to fix that,” Parchment said. “I will sit down with my coach and see how we can go about that into the next races. It’s hard to execute properly when your body feels not how you want it to feel. It is hard to get going.”

It hasn’t been the best season for Parchment and while he has admitted the struggles, he was not only optimistic about a resurgence but praised Broadbell who took bronze in the event, becoming the fourth Jamaican to get an Olympic medal in the event and maintaining a streak of Jamaicans getting medals in the event since 2016.

“We know there are always setbacks with injuries and we try to see how best we can manage them and we fall short sometimes. But I still try to get as fit as possible. I don’t feel like I was completely where I wanted to be but I gave my best. I know Jamaica would have wanted more but big up Broadbell, getting his first Olympic medal. We look forward. There is still more to come,” Parchment said. His concentration was understandably elsewhere but he was appreciative of the Order of Distinction he received, the country’s sixth highest honour, on Wednesday, the day before his semi-final.

“I always appreciate the love and support. I wish that we can keep it like that for all the athletes because we put a lot of work in. It’s not always easy,” Parchment said.

Daniel Wheeler