Hyde reflects on improvement since coaching switch
Published:Tuesday | August 10, 2021 | 12:09 AMDaniel Wheeler/Staff Reporter
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Despite not achieving his goal of making the men’s 400m hurdles final at the Tokyo Games, Jaheel Hyde says that he has made significant improvement in his first Olympics under new head coach Okeile Stewart. Hyde was among a small group of athletes...
Despite not achieving his goal of making the men’s 400m hurdles final at the Tokyo Games, Jaheel Hyde says that he has made significant improvement in his first Olympics under new head coach Okeile Stewart.
Hyde was among a small group of athletes that were welcomed by Sport Minister Olivia Grange at AC Hotel in St Andrew yesterday after their performances at the Tokyo Olympics.
Hyde was joined by teammates Ronda Whyte, Tyquendo Tracey, Oblique Seville, Jevaughn Minzie, and Julian Forte who arrived on the island yesterday.
Hyde, 24, finished eight in his semi-final round in a time of 1:27:38 minutes having clipped a hurdle during his run. He says that he has taken a much-needed step forward in his second year under Swept Track Club and head coach Okeile Stewart.
IN GOOD SHAPE
“I feel a lot better,” he said. “Much stronger. My form has improved. I’m sure it would have improved even more in the semi-final that I fell in. But maybe it just wasn’t my turn yet. I’m still in good shape. The season is not finished. Just to get back to training and see what the future holds.”
Hyde hopes his future will include further progression, having switched coaches twice since 2018. He moved on from his former high school coach Christopher Harley at Wolmer’s Boys’ School to MVP Track Club that year, before moving to Stewart’s camp. Hyde entered his second Olympic Games on the back of winning the national championship in a personal best time of 48.18 seconds after not competing in the 400m hurdles last season.
Hyde said that he has seen the difference with Stewart’s approach and is more confident now of his own potential than he has been in past senior championships.
“It’s my approach to training,” he said. “That’s the main thing, just to have one-on-one attention with Mr Stewart is a game changer for me. And just for me the approach to training is different so that was key to the success for us. I feel much better than in previous years. So it’s just to build on the confidence that I have and work towards it.”
Hyde says that he wants to reach the standard set by the men in the 400m hurdles final where Norway’s Karsten Warholm set a world record of 45.94 seconds to win the Olympic title.