American sprint hurdler Trey Cunningham is embracing the challenge of racing the world’s best week in, and week out across his competitions.
Ahead of the Paris Diamond League on Friday, June 20, at Stade Sébastien-Charléty, the 2022 world silver medallist spoke candidly about the intensity of the men’s 110m hurdles.
“Mean it’s what I love to do. I love to compete and, like Grant said, the hurdlers kind of don’t dodge each other and we get to race each other a lot more than most of the sprint guys,” Cunningham said during Thursday’s press conference. “So I’m excited to line up, and it’s always a test to see where I’m at, see where everybody else is at, and see where we can improve.”
Trey Cunningham is part of a stacked field in Paris, led by Olympic champion and three-time world gold medallist Grant Holloway. Known for his lightning-fast starts and flawless technique, Holloway remains the standard in the event. He owns a personal best of 12.81 seconds, just 0.01 shy of Aries Merritt’s 12.80 world record set in 2012.
Alongside Holloway, the start list also features strong contenders such as Jamal Britt, the in-form American who beat Cunningham at the Philadelphia Grand Slam in May, and Freddie Crittenden, a world finalist and regular podium finisher.
French sensation Sasha Zhoya, known for his raw speed and showmanship, also lines up on home soil. He adds another layer of firepower to the race.
Cunningham, has already faced some of these heavyweights in the 2025 season. Earlier in May, he claimed a major win at the Grand Slam meet in Miami.
He clocked 13.00 seconds to defeat both Zhoya and Crittenden. However, at the Philadelphia Slam later that month, he finished third behind Britt and former NCAA standout Cordell Tinch.
