Omar McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 world champion, had reached a point where he was ready to walk away from the 110m hurdles. The pressures of maintaining his elite status, the scrutiny of the media, and the constant expectations from fans had taken a toll on him. However, it was his deep-seated love for the sport that ultimately kept him going.

McLeod, who made his debut as a professional at the István Gyulai Memorial in Székesfehérvár on July 7, 2015, but pulled up with a cramp and failed to finish, said that he is determined to make the trip to the World Athletics Championships, which will be held in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to 21.

“I was very close to giving up 110-metre hurdles, but that undying love for it kept it going,” McLeod told the Jamaica Observer.

“I am in great condition at the moment and I am ready and I am working towards making the Jamaica team to the World Championship later this year,” the 2017 RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation National Sportsman of the Year said.

Despite his love for the sport, McLeod, 30, has faced mental challenges as an athlete but he said that he has learned to navigate the pressures of being an elite athlete.

“Mentally I am doing really well,” he said. “I mean, every athlete goes through ups and downs and I think mine are always highlighted more than other people and I don’t know why. I go through growing pains just like everybody else and to me, it was very unfortunate my downfall was screamed so loud as if I wasn’t human. They made it seem like a big deal but for me it was nothing, I understood very well.”

McLeod’s success has come at a high level, and he acknowledges the pressure to maintain that success.

“I had success very early and maintaining success over the years at such a high level is very hard to do and I think a lot of people are oblivious to that,” he said. “So, people put me on an unrealistic pedestal to always maintain this superiority.”

However, McLeod is clear that failure is a part of the journey.

“But then when I failed it was screamed very loudly but failure is a part of it and if I don’t make an Olympic or World Championship team, it is not the end of the world for me,” he said.

At the 2019 World Championships, McLeod was disqualified in the final for a lane violation, impeding Orlando Ortega. Ortega was second in the 110m hurdles until McLeod stumbled into him and affected his momentum. After the appeal of the Spanish Federation, World Atletics awarded Ortega with a bronze medal.

Ultimately, McLeod remains committed to his training and focused on his goals.

“Other people might view it in a different way but it is always still ongoing for me and training hard and keeping focus and keeps doing my thing like I have been doing,” he affirmed.

The idea of competing in the recently concluded Grand Slam Track, which allowed him to run in both the 100m and 110m hurdles, was the catalyst McLeod needed to rekindle his passion for the sport.

“But this idea of the Grand Slam, having to do with the 100m and the 110m hurdles kept me going for it and I say why not,” he said.

“The opportunity will present itself for me to run the 100m and here was the Grand Slam where I can balance both events and it is just like the stars have aligned in that area. So, I can get to focus on both of them and really keep that talent going that I have, that undeniable talent that I have, the raw natural unique talent I have.”

Omar McLeod raises his hands in triumph as he crosses the finish line ahead of the field to win the men’s 110m hurdles final at the World Athleitcs Championships in London, England in August 2017.

MCLEOD… I was very close to giving up 110-metre hurdles, but that undying love for it kept it going (Garfield Robinson)