Did any of the sprint hurdles medals surprise you? If yes, which?

Daniel Blake, sports writer: I wasn’t very surprised by Orlando Bennett getting on the podium because I believe he’s a big performer when it comes to finals, but you’d have been brave if you thought Tyler Mason was a medal contender coming into the championships. However, his performance from the heats was a sign that he could very well get some silverware, and he did so in style. For Bennett and Mason to join the likes of recent greats in the event like Hansle Parchment, Omar McLeod, and Rasheed Broadbell is a testimony to our ever-growing talent pool, which we shouldn’t take for granted.

Rachid Parchment, sports writer: The sprint hurdles are the most unpredictable event in track and field. No matter how hot your form over the season, all it takes is one momentary lapse in the final and it’s all over. Conversely, once you get to a final, you have as much of a shot as anyone else in the field as long as your execution and step counts are clean. Ditaji Kambundji did just that and now she’s a champion. Not many people expected it, I certainly didn’t. She’s been putting in the work for a number of years and now it’s her time to shine. Well done to her.

Trishana McGowan, track and field analyst: Lucky for both Orlando Bennett and Tyler Mason, I love a good surprise. I certainly did not expect both to medal, and that’s why the race is run. Since the qualification round and semi-finals, both men showed hands of getting onto the podium and I’m happy things went their way.

Orlando’s medal isn’t a complete shocker since he was at the Paris Olympic Games and he has been consistent the last few seasons.

Tyler’s story is compelling, and after trying for almost 11 years, he has finally gotten a senior medal. He showed potential in 2014 when he won silver at the World Junior Championships, but injuries since then have been a setback.

Things take time, and I’m happy for the two Calabar High School past students on today’s medals.

Floyd Quarrie, QPC Sports founder and head coach: The sprint hurdles, both men and women, were electric. But I would say that the biggest surprise for me came from the women’s sprint hurdles. The men’s was a little bit wide open, with the absence of Grant Holloway, with the absence of a couple key players, it seems it was anyone’s picking. But for the women’s side, anybody that needed to be there was in that finals. The winner turned out to be somebody that nobody expected. She won convincingly and with a national record, now being part of the 12.2 club — Kambundji definitely would be the surprise in the sprint hurdles for me.

Rachid Parchment

Trishana McGowan

Floyd Quarrie