O’Hara is back!
Sprint hurdler feels fit and ready after long time in the wilderness
Published:Tuesday | February 8, 2022 | 12:11 AMHubert Lawrence/Gleaner Writer
FORMER SCHOOLBOY star Michael O’Hara didn’t win his heat of the men’s sprint hurdles at the Fuller/Anderson Development meet last Saturday at the G.C. Foster College for Physical Education and Sport but he crossed the final line smiling. The expression told a story of relief and resurging confidence in his fitness.
Now 25, O’Hara says he’s back, healthy and strong.
The 2013 World Under-18 200-metre champion placed second to his old Calabar High School teammate Norman Pittersgill in 8.19 seconds but he seemed to regain something important: his confidence.
“I’m just giving thanks that I’m able to run because I had some major injuries. It was a bad setback but I’m here, healthy and strong,” he said, beaming from ear to ear.
Pittersgill clocked 8.11 seconds.
Slowed in the past by injuries and with knee surgery behind him, O’Hara has refocused. “I had to take a step back to rethink what I’m going to be focusing on going forward and I have a lot of support, mental support,” he said candidly.
As a schoolboy at Calabar High School, he was a commanding presence in the 100, 200 and the hurdles. Now his mind is clear.
LONG OVERDUE
“It’s been long overdue for me to focus on hurdles, so that’s where I am right now, the hurdles,” said the young man who won the sprint hurdles and the 100 in classes 1, 2 and 3 at Boys and Girls’ Championships.
He stopped hurdling when he left Calabar in 2015 and focused on sprinting at the Racers Track Club.
O’Hara is bouncing back from several low moments in his senior career. Central among them was his fall at the last barrier while challenging for a senior team place in the 110-metre hurdles final at the 2019 National Championships. He had run a personal best of 13.70 in the heats and was on target for more.
He clocked 13.63 seconds after the Nationals and brings that lifetime mark into this new season.
Directed now at Legacy Athletics by a team of coaches led by Omar Hawes, he isn’t dwelling on the past. Asked about his plans for 2022, he replied, “It’s my first race for the season. I feel good but still more work to be done.”
He viewed the effort as part of early season training. Further questioning revealed that the 2013 World Under-20 200-metre bronze medallist still has lofty goals.
“To be honest, it has always been my dream to go to the senior level to make the podium for the Olympics, World Champs, whatever it is. That’s my aim and goal right now.”