Despite a promising trajectory, 2025 hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Cordell Tinch. Ranked third in the world in the men’s 110m hurdles, behind only Grant Holloway and Rasheed Broadbell, Tinch entered the season with sky-high expectations.
In May, he scorched the track at the Shanghai Diamond League meet with a personal best of 12.87 seconds, tying for the fourth-fastest time in history, a feat only Olympic great Dayron Robles had matched since 2008.
But in the unforgiving world of track and field, even a hair’s breadth can rewrite the script.
On June 6 at the Rome Diamond League, Tinch lost by the slimmest of margins to Swiss hurdler Jason Joseph. Both clocked 13.14 seconds, but Joseph’s perfectly timed lean at the line gave him the edge. A cruel reminder that elite sprint hurdling is often a game of milliseconds.
Redemption in Hengelo
At the FBK Games in Hengelo on June 9, he lined up against a star-studded field that included 2016 Olympic champion Omar McLeod and fellow American Dylan Beard. It was a high-stakes moment, but Tinch rose to the occasion with a masterclass performance.
Exploding out of the blocks and gliding over the hurdles with technical brilliance, Tinch stormed to victory in 13.10 seconds, comfortably ahead of McLeod (13.42) and the rest of the field. His fifth outdoor victory of the season, and arguably his most symbolic.
From Pitt State to Global Stardom
What makes Tinch’s rise so compelling isn’t just his times, it’s his story. Just a few years ago, he was working as a cellphone salesman, having walked away from a football scholarship at the University of Minnesota. But a decision to pursue track again at Pittsburg State University, a Division II school, reignited his athletic fire.
In 2024, Tinch turned professional and quickly made waves, even after undergoing mid-season surgery and narrowly missing a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But setbacks didn’t define him. They motivated him.
In Xiamen, he shocked the world by defeating Grant Holloway with a world-leading 13.06. Then in Shanghai, he etched his name into the record books.
The Road to Tokyo
Now, as the track world marches toward the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Tinch is one of Team USA’s most watched hopefuls. With two Diamond League wins, a historic sub-12.90 time, he’s proving he belongs among the elite.
Cordell Tinch’s transformation is a blueprint for perseverance. From the retail floor to racing legends, his hurdles have never just been on the track. But each time life throws one at him, he clears it with purpose.
And if Tokyo is calling, it seems like Cordell Tinch is ready to answer.
