It’s not a good time to be a Grant Holloway fan! The hurdler has an unparalleled resume- Olympic win aside, he has three indoor and three outdoor world titles. The first hurdler to secure three successive indoor titles! In 2024, he also set the world record of 7.27s for 60m hurdles at the US Indoors in Albuquerque. Obviously, coming into the 2025 season, expectations from Holloway were sky-high. Much to his fans’ delight, Holloway delivered. At the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston held on February 2nd this year, the Virginia native extended his 11-year-long winning streak to secure a podium finish by clocking 7.42s in the 60m hurdles event. But amid all success, there was something far more sinister lurking in the background. 

Coming to the April 17, 2025, edition of the Beyond The Record podcast, Holloway dropped a concerning detail about his knee. He recalled attempting a 435 lbs front squat when his knee popped. And what happened later was horrifying. “Thirty minutes later, my knee swelled up like a balloon,” said Holloway. He started the year off with an injury so grave, yet found a way to secure the win at the World Athletics Indoor Championships at Nanjing in March 2025. He clocked 7.42s to finish first in the 60m hurdles event to keep his legacy intact. But at Xiamen? It was a different story. 

Losing a win is never desirable, but it can also be a lesson. Yet, the defeat handed out to Grant Holloway is not an easy one to digest. While Cordell Tinch(13.06s) took the victory, Holloway had a race that he probably would want to forget. Competing in the 110m hurdles, the Olympic champion was quite expectedly the favorite to win the race. But much to everyone’s shock, Holloway hobbled through the entire race awkwardly and finished 10th, clocking a disheartening 13.72s! 

the 13.72s doesn’t hold a candle to the Olympic champion’s personal best of 12.81. Although he specializes in the 60m hurdles discipline, he treats the 110m hurdles event as his playground too. But with an injury so grave, it is bound to take a toll on his performance. After all, his poor exhibit at the Tom Jones Invitational was a warning sign.

Injury and unexpected defeats: Grant Holloway’s 2025 season in a nutshell

Grant Holloway’s winning streak was dealt a brutal blow by Trey Cunningham at the Tom Jones Invitational. One of the most shocking upsets in recent track history, it will undoubtedly remain etched in people’s memory for a long time. Was the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational a precursor to the Xiamen debacle? It certainly seems so now! 

Trey Cunningham, 2022 World Championships silver medalist in the 110m hurdles event, left hurdle sensation Grant Holloway behind to secure the first position. While Cunningham clocked 13.09s, Holloway finished second at 13.18. The All-American podium was completed by 2nd runner-up Dylan Beard, who clocked 13.33s. After two back-to-back upsets, Grant Holloway is bound to feel the heat. But here’s the question, what lies next for him?

The Olympic Champion still remains the master of hurdles without a doubt. Only a few can match his resume even accounting for the recent upsets. Maybe it’s time for Grant Holloway to slow down and opt for a reset to come back stronger. Or he can keep going, notwithstanding his injury. What do you think should be his next step? Let us know in the comments below!