Andrew Parker (athlete)

Andrew Parker (born 11 January 1965) is a Jamaican track and field athlete who competed in the 110 metres hurdles. He won the event at the 1987 Pan American Games and represented Jamaica at the 1988 Summer Olympics as well as the 1987 World Championships in Athletics.

Andrew Parker
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing  Jamaica
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place1987 Indianapolis110 m hurdles
CAC Championships
Silver medal – second place1989 San Juan110 m hurdles
CAC Junior Championships (U20)
Gold medal – first place1984 San Juan 110 m hurdles
Gold medal – first place1984 San Juan 400 m hurdles
Gold medal – first place1984 San Juan 4x100 m relay
CARIFTA Games
Junior (U20)
Gold medal – first place1983 Fort-de-France110m hurdles

Career

His first international medal came at the 1983 CARIFTA Games, where he was the gold medallist in the high hurdles.[1] A 110 m and 400 metres hurdles double followed at the 1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[2]

He studied at Arizona State University in the United States and competed collegiately for them as part of the Arizona State Sun Devils track and field team.[3] He won the hurdles title twice consecutively at the Pac-10 Conference meet from 1986 to 1987.[4] He also received three All-America honours in NCAA competition: twice in the 55 metres hurdles (1985, 1986) and once over the 110 m hurdles (1987).[5]

Parker was selected to represent Jamaica in the 110 m hurdles at the 1987 Pan American Games in Indianapolis. American Greg Foster was the reigning world champion and the favourite for the event. However, his team mate Cletus Clark fell mid-race and as a result a hurdle flew into Foster's path, throwing him off balance. Parker took advantage of the mellee between his two main competitors and sped away to claim the Pan American gold medal.[6] Later that month, Parker headed to the 1987 World Championships in Athletics in Rome. He was eliminated in the first round, while his Pan American rival Foster retained the world title.

A year later, Parker made his Olympic debut at the age of 23 and reached the hurdles quarter-finals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.[7] His final international medal came at the 1989 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics where he was the silver medallist behind Cuba's Emilio Valle, who ran a championship record.[8]

Achievements
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Jamaica
1983 CARIFTA Games (U-20) Fort-de-France, Martinique 1st 110 m hurdles 14.4
1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships (U-20) San Juan, Puerto Rico 1st 110 m hurdles 14.19 w   (3.5 m/s)
1st 400 m hurdles 53.33
1st 4 × 100 m relay 41.02
1987 World Championships Rome, Italy 5th (h) 110 m hurdles 13.94
1988 Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea 6th (h) 110 m hurdles 14.05

References
  1. CARIFTA Games 1983 Archived 2011-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. World Junior Athletics History. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  2. 1984 Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships Archived 2011-10-23 at the Wayback Machine. WJAH. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  3. Sun Devil Olympians Archived April 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Arizona State Sun Devils. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  4. ASU Individual Pac-10 Champions Archived April 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Arizona State Sun Devils. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  5. Arizona State All-Time All-Americans Archived November 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Arizona State Sun Devils. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  6. Holbreich, Curt (1987-08-16). THE 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES : Track and Field : Foster Has Another Unexpected Hurdle Cost Him a Victory. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  7. Andrew Parker. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
  8. Central American and Caribbean Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2011-11-13.
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