Hansle Parchment catches Grant Holloway to score a Jamaican victory over the hot favourite on Thursday in Tokyo

There was a huge shock in the 110m hurdles as nine years after winning Olympic bronze Hansle Parchment went two places better as he won gold in a season’s best time of 13.04.

World champion Grant Holloway went into Tokyo as one of the biggest favourites in any event. In the US trials he just missed the world record with a 12.81 in his semi-final and that gave him two tenths of an advantage over his rivals and his case was seemingly helped when defending champion Omar McLeod, who was second in the world rankings with 13.01, was controversially overlooked after the Jamaican Trials after messing his final up.

The Jamaicans were ridiculed for leaving behind their fastest man but the selectors had the last laugh as they took first and third with Holloway losing all momentum over the closing hurdles and only holding on to second thanks to a spectacular dive.

The American ran 13.02 in his heat and a repeat of that would have won him gold. He got a solid start and reaction (0.136) and at halfway was hurdling at his best well clear of the field and seemingly on his way to a 12.8 clocking but as the race went on he began to lose his fluidity and speed.

Parchment went past Holloway in the final metres and so too seemingly did Levy but the American was given the verdict 13.09 to 13.10.

“The greatest feeling, the greatest feeling, I’ve worked so hard. It’s unbelievable that I caught this guy (Holloway). I’m really grateful,” said Parchment.

The 31-year-old went into the event ranked outside the world top 10 and was third in the Jamaican Championships and the one probably most vulnerable to those who thought McLeod, who was much faster in his semi-final, should be in Tokyo and his qualifying rounds did not suggest he would win the gold.

Holloway did his best to smile and wave the US flag but was clearly bitterly disappointed.

“Everybody knows I’m going to get out strong. Now it just comes to a point where I’ve got to finish strong. I did it once when I was two shaves (0.02s) off the world record so I know I can do it. I just think the nerves, the big atmosphere got the best of me a little bit. But I’m young, I’ve got a lot of races under my belt so I’ll take this with a grain of salt and I keep moving forward. This was not the outcome that I wanted but it enables me to say I’m an Olympic medallist.”

Devon Allen maintained his consistency and went one better than he did in Rio in 2016 with 13.14 for fourth.

Pascal Martinot-Lagarde narrowly became the leading European in fifth in 13.16 and he was followed home by Asier Martinez of Spain in 13.22 and Andrew Pozzi who ran 13.30 for seventh.

For half of the final the Briton showed the speed that took him to a world indoor title and he was in the thick of the medal battle but he lost his rhythm over the last few hurdles. However it was still his best ever global outdoor performance by some distance as he made the final at the fifth attempt.

He said: “Unfortunately I didn’t quite have the race that I wanted. I just didn’t quite have enough today and it’s difficult to say but that’s just the situation… I gave it my best. I’ve worked really hard in order to be here and try be in my best shape, but that’s all I had today.

“I arrived in a good place. There’s no excuses unfortunately. I just didn’t have enough and that’s just the way it is. I prepared really well, worked really hard with an amazing group of people who have supported me so much and I’m just very grateful for everyone that’s given me the opportunity to come out here and give it my best.”

GB through to men’s 4x100m final

Jamaica also got great news in the 4x100m semi-finals. They won comfortably in 37.82 and then there was further bad news for USA in the next heat as they sensationally failed to make the final.

Jamaica won the opening semi in a world lead 37.82 with Britain’s team of CJ Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake combining superbly for a clear second in 38.02 with Japan just bagging the final automatic qualifying spot with 28.16 just ahead of France (38.18).

Brazil (38.34) and Trinidad & Tobago completed the six finishers as both Netherlands and South Africa came to grief.

The Britons were pleased with their morning’s work. Ujah said: “No medals are won in the heats, we’ve got a big Q as one of the qualifiers and we’ll get a good lane in the final and I’m sure we’ll step up our game again and stretch the checks a bit and head for gold.”

Hughes said: “For me I’m just going out there to stay focused, hitting the check mark and give my very best on the back straight an hopefully put the guys in the lead. We’re in the finals and I’ll be rolling in the finals.”

Kilty said: “It was very safe, we need to go at least half a second quicker to get the gold and I think we can. We’ve got to push the changeovers out and the outgoing runner has to go off harder. We’ve all got to run faster legs its as simple as that. We want to win every heat we’re that good, we want to win the final. That was safe and all 4 of us know we’ve got more to give there.”

Mitchell-Blake: said; “I realise how important he (Zharnel) is to the team and for everyone to be firing. And collectively, we’re good enough to get the job done. That’s where our focus is right now to each of us raise our individual games and do a better job collectively.”

The second heat was probably the greatest quality 4x100m heat in history. It was a cracking race with China just winning by two thousandths of a second in 37.916 to Andre de Grasse’s Canada who ran 37.918 to keep him on course for his sixth Olympic medal.

Close in third were Italy, who also had an Olympic champion in their team in Marcell Jacobs on lane two and they set an Italian record 37.95.

Germany in fourth in 38.06 and Ghana’s national record 38.08 took the two fastest losers spots. That meant USA just missed out with a time of 38.10.

They did not take it lightly either as though they rested their 200m men they fielded their three 100m representatives – Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley and Ronnie Baker together with 9.93 performer Cravon Gillespie but their change overs were not up to scratch.

However, they no doubt thought a time of 38.10 would have been good enough before the race. That time would have won medals in 21 of the 24 Olympic finals including the three from 2004 to 2012!