KINGSTON: Olympic gold medallist Omar McLeod set a Jamaican national record of 110-metre hurdles with a blistering time of 12.90 seconds during the 2017 Jamaican track and field championships here on Saturday.

McLeod says he is dedicating the next few weeks to setting is sights on Aries Merritt’s world record of 12.80 seconds which he hopes to break before the London World Championships in August.

McLeod’s time on Saturday eclipsed the previous Jamaican record of 12.94 seconds set by Hansle Parchment in 2014 in Paris.

McLeod has been having a fantastic last two seasons where he won the World Indoors 60m and Olympic games gold medals five months apart. He also shaved .07 seconds off his previous personal best time.

Indeed, McLeod now has the top four times in the world so far this year and lowered his previous career best of 13.01 seconds. He is tied for fifth best all time with American Dominique Arnold and trails only Merritt, Cuba’s Dayron Robles, China’s Liu Xiang and American David Oliver.

The sky is the limit for McLeod who will be seeking to make up for his disappointing 2015 World Championships in Beijing, China where he finished sixth.

Ronald Levy, the second fastest in the world so far, was second in 13.13 seconds while Parchment, running with an injury, took third place in 13.19 seconds.

Speedster Yohan Blake was on course for the sprint double after qualifying the 200m finals on Sunday, winning his semi-final heat in 20.30 seconds in his first 200m race of the season.

Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Dwyer was the fastest qualifier after he won his heat in 20.16 seconds while World and Olympic medalist Warren Weir also advanced.

Discus thrower Fedric Dacres retained his Jamaican title with 66.52 meter toss while London Olympian Traves Smikle was second with 63.26m.

Both 400m finals were set for Sunday with all the top contenders qualifying for the deciding races.

Demish Gaye is unbeaten all year and has dropped his times significantly as he won his semi-final heat in 45.26 seconds on Saturday while Nathon Allen also won his heat in 45.49 seconds.

NCAA collegiate champion Chrisann Gordon has thrown down the gauntlet among the women in the 400m after lowering her personal best to 50.32 seconds. World and Olympic medallist Shericka Williams finished in 50.48 seconds.

Novlene Williams Mills, in her final national championships, Christine Day and Stephenie-Ann McPherson are all top contenders.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017