Under the warm April sun in Gainesville, Florida, the atmosphere at the Tom Jones Memorial was charged with anticipation. Grant Holloway, the reigning king of the 110m hurdles, was stepping onto the track for his outdoor season opener. The crowd knew the stakes — Holloway, fresh off his dominant gold-medal performance at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, was expected to coast to victory. After all, this was his territory. His event. His season to remain undefeated. But the script took an unexpected turn.

As the gun fired, Trey Cunningham—gritty, determined, and perhaps overlooked—surged forward like a man with something to prove. Hurdle by hurdle, he stayed smooth, composed, and explosive. And when the finish line arrived, it was his time that flashed first on the board: 13.09 seconds, a world-leader. Holloway followed closely with 13.18, but the message was clear—this season wasn’t going to be a solo parade for the world number one. It was a moment. The kind that puts even the best on notice.

Now, fast-forward to April 25 in Xiamen, just ahead of another big one: the Xiamen Diamond League. Grant Holloway, ever the professional, didn’t dodge the elephant in the room. In front of cameras and reporters, he gave Trey Cunningham his due.

“This season was to stay undefeated all the way throughout,” Grant said honestly. “I fell a little bit short last week opening up at Tom Jones to Trey Cunningham who ran an awesome race, so in a little bit of the midst of adversity.” Coming from a man who owns two Olympic medals, including that elusive gold, some might say this sounded like doubt creeping in. But to those who know Holloway — his fire, his mindset, his pedigree — it was something else entirely. It was fuel.

“I just got to prove to myself and prove to my team that I’m still that guy,” he continued, eyes sharp, voice steady. “And I’ll always be that guy, you know, looking to come out here with some competition and get back on the high horse.” He’s not just showing up in Xiamen for redemption. He’s showing up to reassert his legacy, with challengers like Freddie Crittenden and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment waiting. No Trey Cunningham this time — but enough firepower on the start list to make the track sizzle.

So no, it’s not off that Holloway is speaking like this. It’s the mark of a true champion — not just brushing aside a loss, but meeting it head-on, with resolve. After all, Xiamen isn’t just another race. And, as Grant said, “You just get across the finish line for everybody else. It’s so early to kind of talk about times and you know what type of shape somebody’s in and all the good stuff you know, the main goal for myself is you know, always just find a way to win.” Now, in just a few hours, the eyes will be on him to witness his magic on the track. But before that, let’s have a look at his fiery performances in the Diamond League. 

Grant Holloway has some enviable numbers in the Diamond League 

Grant Holloway is no stranger to the top of the podium — especially when it comes to the Diamond League. The man moves through the 110m hurdles like poetry in motion, and he’s built a legacy one blazing sprint at a time.

Back in 2022, he stood tall in Zurich, crossing the line first in the Diamond League Final. That win crowned him the season’s champion, a title that’s as much about consistency as it is about raw speed. And if fate hadn’t intervened, he might have had two of those sparkling Diamond League trophies in his cabinet by now. But 2024 had other plans.

Despite a stellar campaign — racking up four Diamond League victories throughout the season, Grant never made it to the final showdown. An unavoidable situation pulled him from the lineup, leaving a golden opportunity just out of reach. Still, that didn’t stop him from lighting up the tracks along the way.

His standout moment? No question — Zurich, again. The Swiss capital seemed to bring out the best in him. With a slight headwind of -0.3 m/s, he still broke the sub-13 barrier, clocking 12.99 seconds — a performance that echoed the dominance fans have come to expect from the reigning world champ. So here he is in 2025, chasing not just another win, but redemption. With nine Diamond League titles already to his name, he’s hungry for more — and ready to rewrite what was missed last year. Will Xiamen be the first step in reclaiming that crown? Want a quick look at who’s likely to challenge him most this time around?