Grant Holloway has been the man in the hurdling world since the moment his spikes first kissed the track. Electric. Explosive. Relentless. And with each passing year, from Olympic medals to World Championships, he grabbed everything that was thrown at him. But he wasn’t just fiery on the track. In fact, one might argue that he is even more fiery off the track, where he doesn’t need to count the milliseconds. And Nike experienced that firsthand. But what did Grant do?
Well, before the gold medals and world records, there was a college kid with a point to prove, and Grant Holloway proved it in the most electrifying way possible. Back in 2019, the track world watched a fierce rivalry unfold between Holloway and Daniel Roberts. “I had run 13.07 at SECs in the first heat,” Holloway recalled at the Ready Set Go Podcast on May 12, when asked about the backstory of his iconic telephonic celebration.
“Almost a collegiate record.” But the next day, Daniel Roberts struck back, running the exact same time to take the title. “So we were right in there.” That showdown wasn’t just about bragging rights—it had real stakes. The NCAA season’s end meant shoe brands were circling. Holloway had already leaned towards Adidas. But then came the spark: “Coach Holloway… he was like, ‘Yo, I’m just letting you know Nike said they got the next best hurdler. Let’s go show them a thing or two. So I was like, oh, they got the next best hurdler, huh?” he thought.
Fast forward to Regionals—Holloway ran 13.12; Roberts clocked 13.17. But the real fire came at the NCAAs. “45 minutes before [the 110m hurdles final], we just ran 37.97,” he said, referencing the Florida relay squad breaking the collegiate 4x100m record. Yet Holloway wasn’t satisfied. “So then, like 30 minutes go by and I’m like, yo, this is the only, like, if anything, I’m winning this race (110m hurdles). I don’t care about the four-by-one or the four-by-four. Hey, I love Florida, but I was doing this for my own pride.”
The result? A monstrous 12.98 seconds in the final.” And then obviously 12.98, 13 flat. And that was towards Nike because it’s like, yo, call me up and apologize. The celebration that followed, the now-iconic “answer the phone,” was more than a signature and has become his appetite. And that call? It’s safe to say Holloway’s been answering it ever since.
But for the $92 billion brand, it was a stark reminder that they shouldn’t judge someone too soon. But just like legendary brands aren’t without their moments, legendary athletes are not safe either. And the 2025 season was for Grant Holloway to learn this.
Review of the track and field star’s 2025 season
Now, Grant Holloway delivers when that gun goes off. He kicked off his indoor season in Boston on February 2, tearing through the 60m hurdles final at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with a slick 7.42. Just days later in Liévin, France, he turned up the heat even more, 7.36 in the final, smooth and ruthless. Then came the USA Indoor Championships in New York on February 22.
Holloway? Same story, same speed. Another 7.36 in the final, like clockwork. But he was saving the biggest punch for the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing. Under the pressure, with the lights bright, he exploded to a 7.42, world gold, once again. Outdoors? He lit up the track at the Tom Jones Memorial on April 19, running a sharp 13.18 in the 110m hurdles final.
But then came Xiamen. While it’s not his first rodeo in the heartland of China, this time something felt different. From the get-go, things appeared a little strained. And for the man who generally appears to be head and shoulders above, he couldn’t even manage a top 5 finish and ended up in 10th place. His time? A humble 13.72 seconds. Nowhere near his best of 12.81.
Perhaps this can be attributed to his deadlifting, where he injured himself, or maybe the star has gotten a little too sure of himself. Either way, both Grant and his fans were equally shocked at this outcome. But if we know him enough, he is sure to bounce back real soon. And with Tokyo and the World Championships approaching soon, we might see the man who silenced Nike once again.
The post ‘Call Me Up and Apologize’: Olympic Gold Medalist Recalls Hilariously Trolling $92 Billion Nike at the Start of Track and Field Career appeared first on EssentiallySports.