Elaine Thompson
Elaine Thompson

Jamaican star Omar McLeod qualified for his first Olympic Games on Saturday after winning the men’s 110m hurdles on the third day of the Jamaican Olympic track and field trials.

The 22-year-old McLeod clocked a 13.01 seconds at the National Stadium track. That was the second fastest time in the world in 2016.

McLeod, the IAAF World Indoor 60m champion, now owns the top five fastest times in the world this year, and pleged to go even faster when he gets to the Rio Summer Games which begin August 5.

“We are working on the last part of the race,” he said. “It’s coming along and I am very impressed with how I am finishing.

“I am feeling really strong coming off the sixth hurdle so we just need to go back to the drawing board and work on the start. When we put the two parts together, greatness awaits.”

Deuce Carter was second and also qualified for the Olympics while Commonwealth Games champion Andrew Riley was third but could miss out on the trip to Rio as he is yet to reach the qualifying mark.

World number three Hansle Parchment, who missed the championships with an injury, could take the third spot if he can prove his fitness.

Meanwhile, a scintillating final day beckons with both the men’s and women’s 200m final and the women’s 400m.

Yohan Blake and Elaine Thompson, the 100m champions on Friday, are both on course for the sprint doubles.

Blake won his 200m semi-final in a season’s best 20.29 seconds, beating Everton Clarke (20.45) and Rasheed Dwyer (20.46).

He said he is looking forward to the challenge.

“I am working my way back. I just want to earn my spot. I am strong enough to do the double as training is going very well. This was a pretty easy run and I am looking forward to tomorrow.”

Julian Forte, who was disqualified in the 100m, was the fastest qualifier winning his heat in 20.21 seconds while Nickel Ashmeade and World and Olympic medallist Warren Weir also advanced to the finals.

Thompson, who won the 100m on Friday, set up a rematch with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell-Brown.

Thompson won her semi-final in 23.40 seconds while Fraser-Pryce ran 23.15.

The women’s 400m is expected to be one of the most competitive events of the four days as all four members of the gold medal winning 4x400m team from the World Championship have qualified for the final.

Natoya Goule won the women 800m in 2:00.23 seconds, beating Kenia Sinclair (2:01.11) and Simoya Campbell (2:02.85). All three had earlier qualified for the Rio Games. – Agence France-Presse

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