Omar McLeod

Omar McLeod is a professional hurdler and sprinter from Jamaica. He is an Olympic and World champion in the 110 meter hurdles. He was the NCAA indoor 60 m hurdles champion in 2014 and 2015, as well as the outdoor 110 m hurdles champion in 2015; following the 2015 collegiate season, he turned professional, foregoing his two remaining years of collegiate eligibility. His personal best in the 110 m hurdles (12.90 seconds) places him fifth all-time in the world.

At the 2015 Jamaican Championships, McLeod won the 110 m hurdles, defeating national record holder Hansle Parchment in a wind-legal 12.97 seconds, breaking 13 seconds for the first time; the time was world-leading for a week. On July 7, he made his professional debut in the István Gyulai Memorial in Székesfehérvár, but he pulled up with a cramp and did not complete.

McLeod set a new personal best of 9.99 seconds in the 100 meters at the opening of the 2016 outdoor season, becoming the first athlete to complete the 110 m hurdles in under 13 seconds while also breaking the 10-second barrier. He won gold in the 110m hurdles at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Mcleod was just named Jamaica’s 2017 Sportsman of the Year for his exceptional athletic accomplishment. He won six of the seven 110m hurdles contests he competed in in 2017, including the World Championships in London. McLeod was disqualified in the final of the 2019 World Championships for obstructing Orlando Ortega with a lane infringement. Ortega was in second place in the 110m hurdles until McLeod collided with him and halted his progress. The IAAF awarded Ortega a bronze medal after the Spanish Federation appealed.