A 19 years old sprint hurdler has emerged as a formidable force in Jamaican track and field, garnering parallels to the famous Usain Bolt. The teen athlete first made headlines after winning the Under-20 boys final at the National Senior and Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, with a new personal best time of 49.39 seconds in the 400m hurdles.

Despite nearly missing out on a podium finish in Budapest the previous year, he began the new season with purpose and optimism. As the Summer Olympics approach, the Bolt-inspired athlete opens up about his goals and hopes in a new interview.

Olympics propels standout athlete to bare his heart out about his journey

Roshawn Clarke dominated the tracks in 2023 with a magnificent display of brilliance and speed, shattering the U20 400m hurdles record not once, but twice. As the World Athletics featured the Jamaican dominant youth over sport stars of 2024 nomination, a snippet of his interview with BCC was tweeted by @BBCWSSport. Clarke revealed, “Running wasn’t my thing. Like it wasn’t my thing growing up I always wanted to be a footballer because I am a Barcelona fan. I always wanted to be a footballer”

He explained: “But growing up, seeing my talent, other people telling me how fast I am, this that, that really helped me become a track athlete. Watching the Olympics when I was younger, seeing Usain Bolt winning and the whole of Jamaica, how they reacted to that. Instantly I decided, yeah, this is what I want because people value track and field athletes in Jamaica like very highly.”

The post was captioned, “Sport stars of 2024 400m Hurdles U20 World record holder 4th in your first senior global championships Paris 2024 Olympics success(with a guessing emoji).” While the athletics scheduled for Paris Olympics comprises the best talents, Clarke’s career defining year put him in the sports favorite roster.

Roshawn Clarke’s rise to the top in 2023

Clarke’s season began with a lightning-fast 46.42 seconds in the 400m, and it continued with a win at the Jamaican trials for the CARIFTA Games, followed by another personal best of 45.85 seconds in the 400m. The pinnacle came at the CARIFTA Games in The Bahamas, where Clarke won the U20 400m hurdles gold and helped Jamaica win the 4x400m relay.

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