Some people have the gift of speed, others gain it with practice, some
have the gene of speed, while others work hard to adjust it , and some
are born Jamaicans, hence, this automatically places them in the fast
lane. Hansle Parchment, a young Jamaican born on the 17th of June 1990 is one of the
world's newest Jamaican revelations who showed the world this year that
he was born for greatness. The young man, aged 21, recently won 1st place in the
110m hurdles at the 26th Summer Universiade at Shenzhen (China), his first international gold medal. This, he
says, didn't just happen because he is a Jamaican, since with that also
comes great pressure to live up to that title and thus requires hard
work, tough training, and a strong belief in victory and in oneself. The
world will definitely be hearing the name Hansle Parchment a lot more,
so keep him in mind.
Below is the interview I had with this quiet and down-to-earth young gentleman.
Personal Best in 110m Hurdles: 13.24s
How and when did you get started with Track n Field?
I got started with track and field after I watched the young men compete in sports day at my high school. I was fascinated by it and I joined the track team the following year. At the time I was in 3rd form and I was 14.
What else do you or did you do other than hurdles and other than track and field?
Well...before track and field, I use to play football and cricket but when I joined the track team, I started out as a thrower. I did shot put and discus. I did heptathlon twice in high school, now my focus is on hurdling.
What is your typical daily life routine like?
What I do each day is probably the same for a lot of students in school. I go to classes in the day and I train in the evenings. Between classes I sometimes hang out with friends or even squeeze in some sleep :D After training I would do a little studying and also prepare for the next day.
 How many time, how many hours you train per day? I usually train 5 days per week between 2 and 3 hours. In the holidays, as in the Christmas period, I may train twice a day, early morning and in the evening.
What do you do, Jamaican, as general preparation, and you in specific preparation for hurdles?
What I do in preparing is somewhat the same as other hurdlers across the world. I would work on my strength, flexibility and also my technique, as we all know, that is a vital part of hurdling.
Do you take care of your nutrition?
I try to but I don't think I am doing good enough where that is concerned. I am working on addressing the issue properly, because that is important for all athletes.
Are you the only hurdler at training or there is another one who practice and run with you? and how this can affect your progress?
Currently I'm the only hurdler in my program and its sometimes a challenge as I would have to train by my self and so, sometimes I do not get enough of that competitive feeling.
How do you prepare before a local competition, and a major competition?
Whether the event is local or international, I would prepare in the same way. Its a competition and I believe as an athlete you would want to make sure you did your warming up exercises and stretching properly. I try to make them as similar as possible for all competitions.
Your thoughts before, during and after a run?
Before the race I would think about the things I did in training and how I'm going to execute them. During the race I would sometimes pick up on a few faults and try to alter them. After I'm through, most times I can't remember what I was thinking about or even what I did wrong :D
What is the most memorable run of your career for now?
I like this one :) My most memorable run would be in China. My first international medal (gold), I'm elated.
What is your Ultimate long term goal?
I am just striving for the best and with the help of some very important people, I am praying that I can become one of the greatest in my event of all time. Your Goal for 2012? 
First of all, I would love to make the national team to the Olympic games, then I would want to get to the finals and win a medal. (God's willing)
Who are you main opponents this year? Are you willing to beat them in the next season so you can get your ticket to London?
Some of the names I would say are: Dwight Thomas, Andrew Riley, Keiron Stewart and Maurice Wignall and more. These men are great competitors and I will have to give my best shot to win a spot on the team.
What is your thoughts before a big race?
As I mentioned earlier, I would just think on the things I did in training, probably play the race in my head and as best as possible I would think about keeping the focus and remembering the incentives after, in an effort to control the anxiety.
How long do you intend to compete at the top level? and how can you manage to train between your studies and your personal life?
I intend to remain on top as long as I possibly can (when I get there). People ask this question frequently and the truth is, I'm not sure how I do it. I train after school and I try to read as much as possible in my free time. Personal life is mixed between training and my studies.
Who is your idol .. any athlete you look up to?
I am a fan of the great Dayron Robles and I think he is one of the best technicians in the event. I hope to challenge him in the near future.
Do you have any interest in coaching or other involvement in sport after you stop competing?
I would love to be a physiotherapist after track and field and if possible, I may do some coaching.
How does your country support and encourage athletes to involve into track and field and especially to reach that level today?
I believe its an intrinsic drive for many of the youngsters today who engage in track and field. Just by seeing the star athletes such as Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, they look up to them and want to emulate them. Much more can be done in encouraging and supporting the young athletes, as in, they may be interested and have the potential but does not have to tools to move forward.
People speak about something they call "the Jamaican secret" in sprint.. what do you think about that?
I think its natural for us here in Jamaica. Or it could be the cause of several factors such as: they way we train, eat, the climate and many others.
Any advise for young athlete venturing into track n field?
Set your goals and work towards them with all you might. Listen to your coach and take care of your body. :)
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