It finally happened—Grant Holloway put a ring on it. After eight years of dating his college sweetheart, the world champion hurdler revealed he’s officially unavailable! But what made fans lean in even closer was the story behind the proposal itself, which, in true Grant fashion, wasn’t just about romance—it came with some laughs, timing mishaps, and tequila tonics.

Well, on the April 17 episode of his Beyond the Records podcast, Grant Holloway sat down with co-hosts Rai Benjamin and Noah Lyles and finally gave fans what they’d been waiting for—the inside scoop on how he popped the question to longtime girlfriend Katie Chronister. The couple got engaged on April 8, and Holloway, fresh off defending his 110m hurdles Olympic title in Paris, shared the news with a low-key Instagram post captioned simply: “3.30.25💍.”

But on the pod, things got a little more personal. “Shouts out to Katie, uh, it’s been a long time coming,” he said. “She waited patiently, so I think it was only right to put a rock on her finger.” Grant explained that the idea for the proposal started back in November and December of 2024, but it wasn’t until January that he really began getting serious about it. By February, things were almost set in stone, and he was just focused on finishing out his season before making the big move.

“I was trying to wait till April, but I was two days early—so I had to double back and do that,” Grant Holloway admitted, laughing at his timing mishap. Despite his best-laid plans, it turns out that even a world-class hurdler can misjudge a date when it comes to something as big as this. On the way to Orlando for the proposal, things took an unexpected turn.

Katie, not knowing the surprise that was in store, started venting about how long they’d been together and how she felt she “deserved a ring.” “I’ve been doing this for so long, I feel like I deserve a ring,” she joked. Grant, who was in on the secret, couldn’t help but smile at the irony. “Come on, Katie… wrong timing, bad timing,” he said, but he knew the moment was near.

A couple of tequila tonics and some wine later, Grant Holloway knew it was time to pop the question. He proposed, and Katie said yes. Reflecting on the entire experience, Grant said, “It was solid, man. I’m very happy.” After hurdling through the challenges on and off the track, this is one race Holloway is excited to start—this time, with Katie by his side as his fiancee. But their love story? How did it all start?

Grant Holloway and Katie Chronister’s beautiful story

Grant Holloway and Katie Chronister’s love story? Well, it’s one for the books. Katie and Grant first crossed paths in 2017 when they attended their first year at the University of Florida, and they recently got engaged. Despite their personal history, the duo has maintained a lifetime commitment to providing mutual support to each other. Katie has appeared at all of Grant’s major championships while actively cheering him from the stands and posting heart-melting Instagram messages about his achievements. The time had come for Grant to propose after spending eight years with his partner.

The track world recognizes Grant Holloway as a complete legend in his athletic career. The track world knows Grant Holloway as a three-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, so they also recognize his incredible 60m hurdles world record of 7.27 seconds. He is known as the second-swiftest 100m hurdler in human history. Despite Katie’s impressive accomplishments, there should be no doubt that she stands independently from her fiancé’s achievements as an athlete.

She achieved the Female Scholar Athlete of the Year recognition while playing softball for the University of Florida before attending graduate school. She manages her studies in graduate school alongside softball player coaching work and serves as a Yoga Pod ambassador. Both of these individuals have dedicated their efforts to individual goals before they will soon embark on their joint future.