Tokyo 2020: Parchment tracks down Games volunteer with a special surprise

Bengaluru, August 12: At Tokyo 2020, Hansle Parchment pipped America's fading world champion Grant Holloway en route to winning the men's 110M hurdles gold, but if not for the help provided by a benevolent Games volunteer, forget about the medal, the Jamaican would not even have been even competing in the finals!

Parchment, a bronze medallist at the 2012 London Games, won the 110M hurdles gold, clocking 13.04sec with Holloway taking silver in 13.09sec.

Another Jamaican, Ronald Levy, clinched the bronze medal with a time of 13.10.

Holloway burst out of his blocks in blazing sunshine at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium and built up a lead directly from the first hurdle.

The American looked completely in control through 60M, but then tied up, allowing a fast-charging Parchment a way back into the race.

The 31-year-old made no mistake from lane seven, impressing over the final three hurdles and pushing for the line for the first global medal of his career.

"The greatest feeling," Parchment said when asked what being referred to as the Olympic champion sounded like.

However, it later emerged that Parchment would not have even made to it to the track and field on time, if not for a Games volunteer's help.

According to reports in local media, Parchment had accidentally taken the wrong bus from the Tokyo Olympic village for his 110M hurdles semifinal.

A volunteer then gave him taxi money to reach the right venue.

The rest as they say is history as Parchment went on to win the gold medal and he later tracked down the volunteer for a special surprise.

It is truly one of the heartwarming stories from Tokyo 2020, the Games which will go down in Olympics history as one of the best held, considering the unprecedented cirmustances under which it was held.

Talking about his victory, Parchment had said, "I've worked so hard. It's unbelievable that I caught that guy (Holloway). My coach reminded me to run through the line -- and that's what I did."

Parchment added: "I don't think a lot of people expected me to win.

"I might have to sit for a bit and just absorb the moment, watch other races because there's always room for improvement."