Olympic and world champion Omar McLeod is ready to deliver a double act at this weekend’s Grand Slam Track and Field Meet in Kingston, as he lines up in both the 100m and 110m hurdles. But while the 2016 Olympic gold medallist once flirted with the idea of walking away from the hurdles to focus solely on the 100m, a return to form under new coaching guidance has renewed his love for the event that made him a global star.
McLeod joined Marco Airale’s training group in 2023, and the progress under the young Italian coach has been both immediate and encouraging. The pivotal moment came in Rome in August 2024, when McLeod clocked 13.28 seconds at the Golden Gala, finishing third from lane nine—a performance that reignited belief in his hurdling potential.
“After that race, Coach walked with me and asked, ‘Do you really want to give this up?’” McLeod recalled. “And honestly, I wasn’t sure at the time. But it made me think.”
That 2024 season turned out to be his most consistent in years. At the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland, he ran 13.29 and then improved to 13.25 on the same day. At the Jamaican National Championships, he produced another breakthrough, clocking 13.34 in the heats and 13.22 in the final—his fastest time since 2021. He followed those performances with 13.47 in Tampere and back-to-back 13.28s in Berlin and Rome to close the summer season.
And McLeod carried that momentum indoors in 2025, opening his campaign with 7.68 seconds at the Meeting de Paris Indoor on February 9, before storming to 7.65 at ISTAF Indoor Berlin on February 14—his fastest 60m hurdles time since 2020.
“Last year was my first with Coach Marco, and this year is already showing what that continuity can produce,” said McLeod. “I ran 13.2 four times last season, and I knew it was just a matter of time before the drops came.”
The Grand Slam Meet now offers him the opportunity to fully embrace both his passions: the hurdles and the flat sprint. And for McLeod, competing at home makes it even more special.
“I’m more excited about the 100m than the hurdles to be honest,” he laughed. “I’ve always loved the 100, and Jamaican fans keep saying, ‘Why you not doing it, man?’ So I’m giving them what they want, in my country, in front of my people.”
Still, he hasn’t lost sight of what the hurdles mean to him—and where he believes he can go.
“Can I get back to being the 12.90 guy? Absolutely,” McLeod said with conviction. “I’m 30 now, and they say hurdlers peak in their 30s. Some of the best ever broke records at this age. I’m hitting PBs in the weight room, I’m happy again, and the mental is finally there.”
He added, “Back then, I was just running off pure talent and excitement. Now, I’ve got experience and purpose. I’m excited to see what that looks like on the track.”
With renewed confidence, world-class coaching, and the freedom to chase both dreams, McLeod returns to Kingston this weekend not just as a champion of the past—but as one fully locked in on writing his next chapter.