‘UNREALISTIC PEDESTAL’ – Jamaica Observer

Omar McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 world champion, had reached a degree the place he was able to stroll away from the 110m hurdles. The pressures of sustaining his elite standing, the scrutiny of the media, and the fixed expectations from followers had taken a toll on him. Nevertheless, it was his deep-seated love for the game that finally stored him going.

McLeod, who made his debut as an expert on the István Gyulai Memorial in Székesfehérvár on July 7, 2015, however pulled up with a cramp and failed to complete, mentioned that he’s decided to make the journey to the World Athletics Championships, which will probably be held in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to 21.

“I used to be very near giving up 110-metre hurdles, however that timeless love for it stored it going,” McLeod instructed the Jamaica Observer.

“I’m in nice situation in the mean time and I’m prepared and I’m working in the direction of making the Jamaica group to the World Championship later this 12 months,” the 2017 RJRGLEANER Sports activities Basis Nationwide Sportsman of the 12 months mentioned.

Regardless of his love for the game, McLeod, 30, has confronted psychological challenges as an athlete however he mentioned that he has realized to navigate the pressures of being an elite athlete.

“Mentally I’m doing rather well,” he mentioned. “I imply, each athlete goes by means of ups and downs and I feel mine are all the time highlighted greater than different folks and I don’t know why. I’m going by means of rising pains similar to everyone else and to me, it was very unlucky my downfall was screamed so loud as if I wasn’t human. They made it appear to be an enormous deal however for me it was nothing, I understood very effectively.”

McLeod’s success has come at a excessive degree, and he acknowledges the stress to take care of that success.

“I had success very early and sustaining success over time at such a excessive degree could be very onerous to do and I feel lots of people are oblivious to that,” he mentioned. “So, folks put me on an unrealistic pedestal to all the time keep this superiority.”

Nevertheless, McLeod is obvious that failure is part of the journey.

“However then after I failed it was screamed very loudly however failure is part of it and if I don’t make an Olympic or World Championship group, it isn’t the top of the world for me,” he mentioned.

On the 2019 World Championships, McLeod was disqualified within the remaining for a lane violation, impeding Orlando Ortega. Ortega was second within the 110m hurdles till McLeod stumbled into him and affected his momentum. After the attraction of the Spanish Federation, World Atletics awarded Ortega with a bronze medal.

Finally, McLeod stays dedicated to his coaching and centered on his targets.

“Different folks would possibly view it otherwise however it’s all the time nonetheless ongoing for me and coaching onerous and conserving focus and retains doing my factor like I’ve been doing,” he affirmed.

The thought of competing within the just lately concluded Grand Slam Observe, which allowed him to run in each the 100m and 110m hurdles, was the catalyst McLeod wanted to rekindle his ardour for the game.

“However this concept of the Grand Slam, having to do with the 100m and the 110m hurdles stored me going for it and I say why not,” he mentioned.

“The chance will current itself for me to run the 100m and right here was the Grand Slam the place I can stability each occasions and it is rather like the celebrities have aligned in that space. So, I can get to deal with each of them and actually hold that expertise going that I’ve, that plain expertise that I’ve, the uncooked pure distinctive expertise I’ve.”