By Noel ‘Bravo’ Francis, TrackAlerts.Com
110M Hurdles CLASS I
Many persons were disappointed last year when they were denied the chance to witness a super clash between Jaheel Hyde, Tyler Mason and Michael O’Hara in the Class 1 110m hurdles finals. This was because of O’Hara’s shocking failure to qualify from his semi-final. Nevertheless, Hyde and Mason produced one of the closest and most exciting races of the championships with Hyde prevailing in style.
Hyde went on to have a fantastic year winning everything on offer on the track including the 110m Youth Olympic Hurdles title and the Carifta Under-18 and World Junior 400m hurdles titles. Tyler Mason also achieved global recognition by claiming silver at the World Junior Games in the men’s 110m hurdles event in a personal best and National Junior record of 13.06 seconds.
Mason has moved on to the Racers Track Club while Hyde and O’Hara have remained in school. Once again, fans cannot wait to see Hyde match strides with his great rival Michael O’Hara. This particular race, which will be their final meeting, will have many persons inside the stadium on their feet long before the athletes are in their set positions.
It is quite interesting that despite Hyde’s international achievements and status, O’Hara has never lost to him at ‘Champs’ which makes the event a mouthwatering affair between two proud and fearless warriors. O’Hara is also multi-talented and acknowledged as a super athlete. Some observers feel he is more suited to run the 110m hurdles event; however, no plausible explanation is ever given as to the reason O’Hara has never represented Jamaica at the World Youth or World Junior Championships in the men’s 110m hurdles event. O’Hara seems certain to finish his junior career that way despite recognition by some experts to be better than Hyde and Mason. Both Jaheel Hyde and Tyler Mason have demonstrated that they are among the best hurdlers in recent times on the world stage at the youth and junior levels.
For now, Jamaican track fans will have to settle for O’Hara’s hurdling performances at ‘Champs’, an arena where he oozes confidence and dominates on a regular basis.
Over the last month, the pending clash between Hyde and O’Hara has evoked tension and raging debates between their loyalists. It is now up to both athletes to settle all arguments. We anxiously wait to see who will wear the crown of undisputed 110m hurdles Class 1 champion. At the 2015 CARIFTA Trials Jaheel Hyde won the Under-20 110m hurdles title in 13.22 seconds, some believe the time would have been faster had it not been for the two false starts earlier by two athletes whose nerves were probably rattled by Hyde’s presence.
Marvin Williams of STETHS and Roje Jackson-Chin of St.Jago are two very good hurdlers whom many expect to be engaged in a serious battle for bronze. However, Calabar’s Seanie Selvin (13.42) who showed great potential while finishing second to Hyde at the CARIFTA Trials could be a medal contender. With crucial points at stake, Kingston College’s Jovaine Atkinson and Levaughn Battick who false started in his semi-final last year might have other ideas on the day.
It will be a nervous 13 seconds for fans inside and outside of the National Stadium at approximately 4:10 pm on Saturday March 28, 2015. The ‘Champs’ record is 13.24 seconds. I guarantee that this event at ‘Champs 2015’, will illustrate every word in the Whitney Houston song ‘One moment in Time’.
