Grant Holloway arrived in Paris not just as an athlete, but as a man chasing memories, a champion returning to the city where he once etched his name in Olympic glory.
For him, this wasn’t just another Diamond League stop. It was a homecoming. A spiritual reset. A chance to reclaim the rhythm that once made him untouchable over the hurdles.
Ten months removed from his golden Olympic moment, Holloway stepped onto the Parisian track carrying more than just hope. He was fresh off a brutal lesson in Xiamen, one that left him physically bruised and emotionally shaken. There, he was flying until the eighth hurdle.
Then, disaster struck. A break in form, a stumble, and a jarring last-place finish in 13.72 seconds. Later, the truth emerged, it wasn’t just a bad day. He had been battling injury.
Flickers of the Old Grant Holloway
The heats offered a glimpse of Holloway’s former self, a 13.16s finish, just behind Switzerland’s Jason Joseph, who clocked a season’s best 13.09s. Not perfect, but progress before the final.
Trey Cunningham stole the spotlight with a blistering 13.00s, his personal best. Holloway, meanwhile, crossed the line in fifth at 13.11s. A respectable time for most, but not for a man whose name has been synonymous with dominance in the 110m hurdles.
After the race, Holloway didn’t hide. Standing before the press, composed yet introspective, he spoke with rare vulnerability.
“Obviously, it’s not the result I wanted, but with everything going on, I’ve got to be able to peak in September. I’ve got to take it with a grain of salt.”
No Panic, Just a Reset
Disappointment may have lingered in the Paris air, but doubt had no place in Holloway’s mind. When asked about the loss, he didn’t blame training, coaches, or circumstances. Instead, he stood grounded and honest.
“I’ve been having some good weeks of training. Just didn’t come out here and execute.”
Despite the fifth-place finish, Holloway isn’t rewriting the formula that brought him world titles and Olympic gold. The execution faltered, but the foundation remains unshaken.
Before his next race, Holloway knows a reset is needed, physically and mentally.
“I’ll go back to the drawing board, back at it again in Ostrava in a couple of days. Watch some quick film, figure it out, and get back out there,” the 27-year-old said with a composed nod.
Breaking the Chain
For over a decade, Holloway has ruled the 60m hurdles with unshakable dominance. This indoor season was no different, he breezed through, keeping his undefeated streak alive without breaking a sweat.
But when the hurdles stretch to 110 meters and the stage shifts outdoors, the script flips.
This season, Holloway has yet to taste victory in a single 110m hurdles final. From the stumble in Xiamen to a second-place finish at the Tom Jones Memorial (where Trey Cunningham edged him out), his usual dominance has been challenged.
Holloway embraces the fight.
“The thing about the hurdles is none of us are scared of anybody. At every Diamond League, there’s gonna be a fierce battle,” he said.
The season is far from over, and the biggest meets lie ahead. With Ostrava on the horizon and the U.S. Olympic Trials looming, Holloway is chasing rhythm, redemption, and the right race at the right time.
The hurdles ahead are high, but Grant Holloway has proven time and again, He knows how to clear them.
