Jamaican McLeod headlines sprint hurdles in Eugene

NEW YORK (CMC) – History-maker Omar McLeod headlines an intriguing sprint hurdles field for next month’s 43rd Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
The 24-year-old Jamaican, the reigning Olympic champion, joins the likes of American World record holder Aries Merritt and World champion Sergey Shubenkov, in the race set for the third Diamond League event of the season on May 27.
McLeod handed Jamaica their first ever Olympic gold in the event last year in Rio when he won in a time of 13.05 to beat Spain’s Orlando Ortega into second.
He arrives at the Autzen Stadium as the defending champion, having won in 13.06 in 2016, as he intensified his preparation for Rio.
McLeod has emerged as one of the fastest sprint hurdles on the circuit and last April clocked 9.99 in a 100 metres event to become the first man to dip below the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres and 13 seconds in the 110m hurdles.
Russian Shubenkov, former World champion David Oliver of the US and Frenchman Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, who claimed bronze in Rio, join McLeon and Merritt as those in the race with sub-13 times.
The lucrative Diamond League series opens in Doha on May 5 before continuing in Shanghai eight days later.