Omar Mcleod

Omar McLeod is a Jamaican track and field athlete born on 25th April 1994. He hails from the Clarendon district of Jamaica. He specializes in Hurdles and represents Jamaica in 110m and 400m hurdles internationally.

Background

Omar McLeod was born to Clifford McLeod and Arnella-Knight Morris. He was brought up in a humble family residing in Clarendon in Jamaica.

Omar was an athletic boy at a young age. While studying at the Manchester High School, he emerged as a promising high school athlete. Later, he moved to Kingston College, where he represented them and won titles in 110m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles. While in the final year of his high school, Omar had set the national junior record in both 110m and 400m Hurdles at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships.

After graduating from Kingston College, Omar McLeod moved to the United States, where he joined the University of Arkansas on a track and field scholarship. He was trained under Doug Case and had represented his college team Arkansas Razorbacks at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships.

Omar McLeod is a graduate in Business Management from the University of Arkansas.

Rise to Glory

Omar McLeod received his career breakthrough at the 2011 CARIFTA Games (U20), where he won the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals in 400m Hurdles, 110m Hurdles, and 4x100m Relay. That year, in July, he finished 4th in 110m Hurdles and 8th in 400m Hurdles at the World Youth Championships.

In 2012, Omar made his junior national debut at the Jamaican Junior Championships and won the Bronze medal double in 400m Hurdles and 110m Hurdles. That year, he helped his Jamaica junior relay team to clinch the 4x400m Relay title at the CACAC Junior Championships (U20).

In 2014, while representing Arkansas Razorbacks, Omar won the 60m Hurdles title and a Bronze medal in 4x400m Relay at the NCAA Division 1 Indoor Championships. The following year, he won the 110m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles titles at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships.

In 2016, Omar McLeod won his first senior national title in 110m Hurdles at the Jamaica National Championships. He would go on to win three consecutive 110m Hurdles national titles (2017, 2018, and 2019). Omar is recorded as the world’s 5th joint fastest-runner in 110m Hurdles.

Major Achievements

Omar McLeod made his professional international debut at the 2015 World Athletics Championships, where he finished 6th in 110m Hurdles with a timing of 13.18s. The following year, in March, he won the 60m Hurdles indoor title at the World Indoor Championships. In August, Omar made his Olympic debut at the Rio Olympics and clinched the Gold medal in 110m Hurdles by 13.05 seconds.

In 2017, Omar became 110m Hurdles World Champion with a timing of 13.04 seconds at the World Athletics Championships. He had also competed for the 4x100 Relay but his Jamaica relay team didn’t finish the relay after Usain Bolt suffered an injury in the final leg. In the Diamond League, Omar has 9 circuit wins in 110m Hurdles under his belt.

Omar McLeod is eyeing an Olympic berth at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and will look to defend his Olympic title in 110m Hurdles.