by Larry EderThe sprint hurdle is 60 meters. As Grant Holloway noted, it is “five opportunities to make a mistake.”
One time, around 40,000 feet, I was chatting with one of my heroes, Renaldo Nehemiah, on my way to Doha, Qatar, for the 2010 World Indoors. He explained the challenges of the 60-meter hurdles, noting that the start must be focused and there is no room for errors.
Since his senior year in high school (2011), Grant Holloway has completed 75 sprint hurdle races and won, guess what, seventy-five!
Grant Holloway has won Olympic gold (2024) and Olympic silver (2021). Grant Holloway has won World Outdoors in 2019, 2022, and 2023 over the 110m hurdles. Grant Holloway had won, before Nanjing, World Indoors in 2022 and 2024.
Nanjing was to happen in 2020. It was postponed due to the pandemic, then postponed again, and finally, it was planned for March 21-23, 2025.
Since Grant Holloway lost the gold in Tokyo, he has looked at his outdoor and indoor races with renewed vigor and focus. Several times, Grant told the assembled media that he wanted to make as many USATF teams as possible. No one had won three consecutive titles at 60-meter hurdles. Allen Johnson, USA, had won three World Indoor titles, but not consecutively. Grant Holloway was focused on his racing at the World Indoors in Nanjing.
In his qualifying round , Grant Holloway ran 7.49. In the semi-finals, Grant ran 7.48.
Those were race wins 76, 77, and then, with his final in 7.42, Grant Holloway, USA, had a fantastic start, and cleared five hurdles so well that no one was near. Wilhelm Belocian, FRA, took silver in 7.54m. In the bronze medal position, Junxi Liu, of China, tookt he bronze in 7.55.
This gave Grant Holloway his third consecutive 60 meter World Indoor Tour title.
Grant HOLLOWAY, USA, the gold medalist, now in his third consecutive 60 meter hurdle title, told the media:
“It was great. This one was a little bit different. I didn’t have two great rounds, and had to rely on my experience to get me through the final. But I knew what I had to do, I knew what I was missing. With that being said, a big shout-out to the sports staff. Everybody was telling me, you’ve done this a million times before, you just got to do it again. To win three indoors, and three outdoors, I think I’m the first person in history to ever do that. That’s an amazing stat. Also, I think I can put grace in it, and hang up the 60m hurdles and try out a new event next year. That’s something I can think about. We’ve got the 110m hurdles coming up in the next couple of months, so I will put my best foot forward for that. It’s a world championships, you’ll always have nerves for the world championships wherever you’re at. I jut want to continue to work hard, figure out ways to continue to win, perfect my craft, and continue to challenge myself and my sports staff and coaches to get better.”
Wilhem BELOCIAN, FRA, France’s top hurdlers, took the silver. After his race, he told the media about his silver medal winning race:
“I was really hungry. I said a final is a win. I took the silver medal, so it’s nice, I’m very happy. It’s a lot of emotions. In Paris 2024, we had a very good atmosphere, and now it’s very so-so. We keep going with it. We see maybe in Tokyo, what atmosphere we will have. I made a second European and second world championship, I trust my start now. I have to work on racing between the hurdles.”
Junxi LIU, CHN, provided another medal for China, with a bronze medal at the 60 meters. Junxi Liu told the media about his race:
“After the semifinal, I somehow felt that I could get a medal. I am still not satisfied with my result, but I am happy with the medal. Before this world indoor championships began, I was quite nervous. But as the competitions go, I found myself race better and better. Somehow I become more relaxed during races. It’s a long season this year, I still have a lot to work on. I will continue working with my coach and trying to improve my techniques.”
To truly enjoy the brilliance of Grant Holloway, might we suggest that you grab a beverage and watch Grant Holloway interact with Larry Eder, in Socialing the Distance, Episode 126, featuring Grant Holloway, Hurdler extraordinaire, WR holder, 60m indoors, #2 time 110m hurdles, World Champ, indoors and outdoors, adidas sponsored athlete (Archives 2023), https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/socialing-the-distance-featuring-grant-holloway-hurdler-extraordinaire-wr-holder-60m-indoors-2-time-110m-hurdles-world-champ-indoors-and-outdoorsadidas-sponsored-athleteepisode-126.html ,
