RIO – He is known as ‘Mr Silk’ and last night Omar McLeod lived up to expectations with a silky-smooth display to power Jamaica’s maiden Olympic 110 metre hurdles title in a time of 13.05.
For several decades Jamaica have been a formidable force in flat sprinting, but McLeod’s success proves their talent well is just as deep in the hurdles with the kind of performance that suggests the 22-year-old will be a major force for years to come.
Orlando Ortega secured silver in 13.17 to earn Spain’s first ever sprint or hurdles medal in Olympic history, with bronze going to European champion Dimitri Bascou, who edged out his French teammate Pascal Martinot-Lagarde by 0.05, recording 13.24.
The lead US hope Devon Allen placed fifth in 13.31, which meant for the first time in Olympic history – bar the boycotted 1980 Moscow Games – USA failed to win a medal in this event.(Iaaf.org)
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