History-Making Jamaican Gold Medal Olympian Has A Message For Caribbean Youth

Gold medalist Omar Mcleod of Jamaica poses during the medal ceremony for the Men’s 110m Hurdles Final on Day 12 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

By NAN Sports Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Sept. 9, 2016: A 22-year-old athlete who recently made history by becoming the first Jamaican to win the 110-m hurdles at the just concluded Rio Olympics has some words of wisdom for Caribbean youth.

Omar Mcleod, (pronounced Mac-Cloud), the current 110-m men’s hurdles gold medal Olympian, insists the key is to “train hard, work hard, have fun doing it and be yourself.”

Mcleod was a guest on ‘The Moving Forward’ show with Irwine Clare on Irie Jam radio in New York Wednesday evening. He insisted that once you are “yourself and letting your light shine through” the rest becomes easy.

McCleod, also a former Team Jamaica Bickle champion boy, shared with the audience his religious side insisting that with God “on your side you have nothing to worry about.”

“It keeps you grounded,” he added, crediting his mother for exposing him to church and God at an early age.

Clare steered clear of the recent issue surrounding a Lasco company employee claiming that McCleod is gay after his historic Rio win. The company has since apologized to McCleod and fired the employee.

The Kingston-born McCleod is managed by On Track Management of Atlanta, which also manages The Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller.

Team Jamaica Bickle was founded by Clare in 1994 and plays an active role in the development and care of Caribbean athletes through its hospitality initiative at the annual Penn Relays. The organization also provides assistance to Diaspora organizations, such as Awesome Power Track Club, the Jamaica Basketball Association, NA., and the Jamaica Basketball Association, NA.