Jamaican sprint hurdler Omar McLeod opened his 2025 indoor season with a second-place finish in the 60m hurdles at the ISTAF Indoor Meet in Berlin, Germany on Friday.

The 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 World Champion, who has faced challenges making Jamaica’s team to recent global championships, showed promising early-season form by clocking 7.65 seconds, his season’s best (SB). Switzerland’s Jason Joseph took the victory in 7.63 seconds, while Germany’s Manuel Mordi finished third in 7.67 seconds.

McLeod, now 30, has struggled in recent years to secure a place on Jamaica’s major championship teams. He missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, and most recently, the Paris 2024 Olympics. However, his performance in Berlin suggests that he is determined to return to the top of the sport.

With the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships set for March 1-3 in Nanjing, China, McLeod’s performance puts him in contention for a spot on Jamaica’s team as he works toward regaining his dominance in the sprint hurdles.

The ISTAF Indoor Meet is one of the premier stops on the European indoor circuit, and McLeod’s performance signals that he is building toward a strong 2025 campaign. His reaction time of 0.140 seconds was the fastest among the top three finishers, showing that his explosive start, a trademark of his hurdling style, remains sharp.

The 60m flat sprint saw a thrilling finish, with Germany’s Heiko Gussmann and South Africa’s Akani Simbine both clocking 6.57 seconds, with Gussmann taking the win on a photo finish. Germany’s Kevin Kranz finished third in 6.61 seconds.

As the indoor season progresses, all eyes will be on McLeod to see whether he can maintain this momentum and secure a spot on Jamaica’s squad for the World Indoors. With his talent and championship pedigree, a return to the biggest stages of athletics may be on the horizon.