Can one of America’s track and field’s biggest stars still rise… or is the gap getting too wide? That’s the pressure surrounding Grant Holloway, the three-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist, as he battles back from injury. All eyes were on him at the Diamond League Final in Paris, seen as his big return before the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Even though he posted a season-best time, Holloway’s performance wasn’t dominant; it was barely enough. And when you look closer, you realize just how close he came to missing the final entirely in 110mh.
Going into the race, Grant Holloway knew the field was no joke. “The thing about the hurdles is none of us are scared of anybody,” he said in the pre-meet presser. And honestly, he had reason to be cautious. Trey Cunningham was coming in hot with a 13.00s season best. Freddie Crittenden had been consistently running under 13.10, and Jamal Britt had just secured a big Grand Slam series win. Add the French duo, Wilhem Belocian (fresh off a World Indoor silver) and Just Kwaou-Mathey (World Indoor bronze, PB 13.09s), and the competition couldn’t have been tougher.
In Heat B, Holloway finally stepped back on the line in 110mh. He clocked 13.16 seconds, his fastest time of the season. Still, it only earned him second place behind Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, who ran 13.09s, a season best. Enrique Llopis from Spain also ran 13.16s, tying with Holloway. All three qualified for the final. However, others in that heat didn’t make the cut: Wilhem Belocian (13.20s), Freddie Crittenden (13.30s), Jeremie Lararaudeuse of Mauritius (13.37s), Erwann Cinna (13.40s), and Michael Obasuyi of Belgium, who did not finish (DNF). But the real heat was in Heat A, and things got even more intense.
Japan’s Rachid Muratake and the USA’s Dylan Beard both ran 13.08s, the fastest times of the day. Trey Cunningham registered a time of 13.10s, and Jamal Britt followed suit with a time of 13.12s. Just Kwaou-Mathey had qualified by a time of 13.15s. The only persons who did not advance are Asier Martinez (13.34s) and Eric Edwards (13.35s). and when you look at it side by side, this is what the eight finalists timed in both heats:
Rachid Muratake: 13.08s
Dylan Beard: 13.08s
Trey Cunningham: 13.10s
Jamal Britt: 13.12s
Jason Joseph:13.09s
Just Kwaou-Mathey:13.15s
Grant Holloway:13.16s
Enrique Llopis:13.16s
Nevertheless, Grant Holloway ran the fastest in the season and was able to deliver 7th out of 8 qualifiers. Had he run 13.16s in Heat A, he would have lined up behind Muratake, Beard, Cunningham, Britt and Kwaou-Mathey. And it is very likely that he would have not even scored a close shot on the one of the most well-known names in sports. Well, then what? Yes Holloway made the final. But he is now eminently not the frontrunner anymore.
There are Youngsters with names like Dylan Beard and Jason Joseph who are fast emerging and even fellow Americans like Cunningham and Britt are getting ahead. As long as he is in the game Holloway has a long way to go to win another global medal. Simply going and competing after all that hard work was a victory already, in itself, after all the Struggles. Struggles?
Injuries return, but Grant Holloway is not done yet
Remember Paris 2024? That was finally Grant Holloway’s golden moment. After settling for silver in Tokyo, he roared back to claim Olympic gold in the 110m hurdles, clocking a 12.99s. It was the crowning jewel of his “career Grand Slam,” and it felt like the man was unshakable. Fast-forward to 2025, and things looked even better indoors. he smashed a 7.36s at USATF Champs and won his third straight World Indoor title in Nanjing. That made it 94 indoor races unbeaten since 2014. Insane, right? But then came the outdoor season, and reality hit hard.
His first race back? A solid but underwhelming 13.18s. Then a shocking 13.72s at the Xiamen Diamond League, tenth place. Wait, what? This is the same guy who lives in the 12.9s. And just when fans expected a comeback in Shanghai, Holloway pulled out. Turns out, he had injured his knee during a brutal 435lb front squat session: “I heard it pop,” he said. The swelling? Immediate. He tried to push through with tape and grit, but things weren’t right. So, yes, 2025 hasn’t been smooth.
But here’s the thing: Grant Holloway has never had a smooth road. In 2017, he had knee surgery in college. In 2018, he ran through a sports hernia and still dominated NCAA titles. This man’s career has been built on bouncing back. So, while 2025’s outdoor season may be testing him, it’s also setting the stage. The question now isn’t whether he’s still got it. It’s whether he can flip the script again and remind the world why he’s the king of the hurdles in the World Championship.
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