OLYMPIAN and World Championships 400m Hurdles finalist Jaheel Hyde, who announced his retirement from the sport on his 28th birthday, says he will always love track and field.

The three-time national champion and youth standout made the revelation via social media on Sunday that he will be walking away from the sport.

Hyde, one of the country’s most successful men’s hurdlers, made his second Olympic team last summer when he qualified for the Paris Games. He made it to the semi-finals but finished seventh and failed to reach the final.

His final race of 2024, which has turned out to be the last of his professional career, came in August when he finished ninth in the Diamond League in Poland.

Hyde, who is the fifth-fastest Jamaican over the distance with 48.03 seconds, says he made the right choice in becoming a professional athlete, and his experiences have made his journey unforgettable.

“When I started doing sports my goal was to become the best, to reach the top, and to inspire a generation of athletes coming up behind me,” he said.

“I was blessed with the talent to excel in both track and football but the Lord guided me toward track, and I never looked back. That path led me to experiences I could have only dreamed of — winning countless medals, setting world records as a junior, and competing against the very best in the world.”

The 2023 Pan American Games gold medallist expressed his gratitude for the support he received throughout his athletics career.

“As I step away from the sport that has given me so much, I do so with a heart full of gratitude. Track and field has shaped me into the person I am today, teaching me discipline, perseverance, and the power of belief,” said Hyde.

“I want to sincerely thank my coaches, past and present, for pushing me beyond my limits and moulding me into the athlete I became. To my family, friends, and fans — your unwavering support fuelled me through every high and low.”

Although deciding to retire before the age of 30, Hyde has no regrets and is thankful for all the opportunities he received.

“Though I’m closing this chapter of my competitive career, my love for the sport will never fade. I hope my journey has inspired young athletes to chase their dreams with everything they have. Thank you, track and field — you have given me more than I could ever ask for,” he said.

Hyde did not disclose what his future plans are.

The former Wolmer’s Boys’ High School standout had a stellar junior career, winning 110m Hurdles gold at the 2013 World Under-18 Championships before winning gold at the 2014 Youth Olympics, and consecutive Under 20 400m titles in 2014 and 2016. He also won eight gold medals across various disciplines at the Carifta Games.

His senior career also produced a decent medal haul as he won bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, which he upgraded to silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in England.

At his Olympic debut in Tokyo, Japan in 2021 he made the semi-finals of the 400m Hurdles before making his first major final at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, United States, finishing sixth in a career-best 48.03.

He secured his first and only senior gold medal in 2023, winning the 400m hurdles at the Pan American Games in Chile which earned him his third nomination for National Sportsman of the Year.