Hansle’s father is his loudest supporter

As a child, Hansle Parchment was sometimes cheeky and had his father Hensle Parchment chasing him through sections of their Port Morant, St Thomas, community.

His father believes that Hansle's love for hurdling started as he jumped through fences and ran up and down the hill to escape a spanking or to run errands.

"Him love run man, sometimes mi use to run him down because mi wah catch him fi flog him. Most time him take weh himself and it make mi fit too. We use to live in Cashew Bush up the hill and him just always a run up and down the hill," the senior Parchment said between laughter.

At the last Olympics, when the 110m hurdles was about to begin in Tokyo, Japan, all eyes were on 2019 World champion Grant Holloway of the US. But a little more than 13 seconds later, Hansle had everyone singing a different cheer as he struck gold. His father, the Rastafarian cabinet-maker in Port Morant, was among his loudest supporters.

"I told everybody before he ran the race that this time he was going to win the gold medal. I told everybody but some people didn't believe because nobody never hear nutten 'bout him because before Olympics, nobody did a really highlight him. But I did know that it was nothing less than gold. Mi feel really good when him win man," he said.

"Da night deh a three device mi set up fi catch the race. Mi set up the phones and TV fi catch di gold, yea man. It was a joyful moment for everyone. Yuh could hear the entire community from a distance. When him a run di race mi keep on a tell him to beat it pon dem because mi know mi son a go win," Parchment added.

Pulling at his silver beard, Parchment said he knew that victory did not belong to his son alone and said special credit should be given to Tiana, a Good Samaritan who gave the Olympic gold medallist taxi fare after he accidentally boarded a bus to the aquatic venue instead of the track and field stadium.

Parchment said although he knew Hansle loved sports, he exercised his true potential while attending Morant Bay High School and Kingston College. He ended up on the track team at Morant Bay after he accompanied a friend to a training session. After spectacular performances at Champs, he continued his legacy at The University of the West Indies, Mona . In 2012 Hansle won the bronze medal at the Olympics and that also earned him a portrait on his father's business place. At the 2015 World Championships in Bejing, Hansle took the silver medal.

Next week, the 32 year old reigning Olympic champion will participate in the World Championships in the US. His father once again is confident that he will bring home the gold medal and has a very short but powerful message for him.

"Just do yuh best and nothing less," Parchment said. Although he has a very busy schedule, Hansle returns home every chance he gets. His free time is spent with his loved ones and also in his father's workshop trying to get hands on with the cabinet making business. As he anticipates his performance, Parchment could not be any prouder.

"Him was a good son when him a grow up and still a good son. Is two children mi get and he is the oldest. But more time yuh know how pickney love have dem own way. Sometimes mi send him out and mi have to go look for him. Sometimes him gone with him friend dem a seaside and dem ting deh. He was a typical teenager. Him was a good bwoy though. Mi proud a him, everybody proud a him," he said.