American hurdler Trey Cunningham, long considered one of the sport’s rising stars, overcame a last-minute health scare to stun Olympic champion Grant Holloway and a loaded field on June 20, 2025, at the Paris Diamond League.
A Rocky Start to Race Week
In a post-race interview, Trey Cunningham revealed the drama that unfolded just days before his big win.
“I almost didn’t make the flight,” he admitted.
“I had food poisoning Sunday, so I had to even push my flight to today and see if I was able to do the 10-hour flight. But I’m glad I came, got my first Diamond League win.”
Despite the setback, the 25-year-old lined up at the start in Paris and clocked a brilliant 13.00 seconds, equaling his personal best and finishing ahead of the decorated Grant Holloway, who managed fifth place in 13.11. The win marked Trey Cunningham’s breakthrough on the Diamond League stage after several near-misses as a finalist between 2022 and 2024.
Relentless Preparation Pays Off
Trey Cunningham credited consistent, high-quality training for his ability to perform even under difficult circumstances.
“We’ve been putting some really great training sessions together, indicating I can run this fast even on a bad day, and that’s what we did,” he said.
This 13.00-second dash matched his career-best time first set in 2022 at the NCAA Championships in Eugene and later equaled at the Grand Slam Track Meet in Miami this May.
Cunningham explains his thought on targeting the elusive sub-13 mark.
“Yeah, I think everybody does. A lot of people get hung up on that 12, just simply because it’s like a magic number for the men’s hurdles. But only so many people have done it in history.”
He added, however, that for him, victories matter more than clocking fast times.
“There are plenty of people who’ve run fast and not gotten a medal. I think winning is more important, and if I focus on that, the times will come.”
A Rivalry Rekindled
This wasn’t Cunningham’s first triumph over Holloway. In their 23 head-to-head races, Holloway holds a commanding 18–5 lead, but Cunningham’s five wins have all come at high-profile events.
Their rivalry began in 2018 when a then 19-year-old Cunningham beat Holloway twice during the collegiate season. He repeated the feat in Lausanne 2022, Gainesville in April 2025, where he posted a world-leading 13.09 seconds, and now, most recently, in Paris.
Each victory has chipped away at Holloway’s aura of invincibility, and while the Olympic champion still holds the upper hand historically, Cunningham’s persistence and belief have kept him in the conversation as one of the world’s elite hurdlers.
With his maiden Diamond League win under his belt and a rivalry with Holloway that continues to heat up, Cunningham’s confidence is at an all-time high. As the countdown to the U.S. Trials and World Championships begins, its just the start of something bigger.