Ever since Grant Holloway stepped onto the track, he’s been on a mission to medal every year. This season, he was looking to add more to his collection. However, amid his stacked resume, one title seemed to have evaded him: Olympic champion. But on August 7, the American sensation blazed past his competitors in a blistering time of 12.99 seconds, finally claiming the title as his own. Instead of ending his season right then, the hurdler looked forward to testing himself some more.

During the ongoing Diamond League, the 26-year-old clinched 4 more golds. It wouldn’t be odd for fans to assume he would be back on the track in Brussels, right? The Olympian instead threw track and field fans a curveball on September 10. “I will not be participating in the Brussels Diamond League Final due to a failure to reach agreements on the terms of my participation between my team and the meeting directors of the Diamond League.” Even though he didn’t give out too many details, he did clarify that behind the scenes, things weren’t as fine as they seemed.

Grant Holloway last contested at the Zurich Diamond League. With his time of 12.99 seconds in the 110m hurdles, he has now produced the most sub-13 performances in the event. However, his ending note grabbed several fans’ attention. “Shame that they doing athletes like that.” This came as a huge shock to many. Why? The Olympian has been a consistent fixture at DL since the very beginning of his professional career. In fact, he was even crowned the Diamond League Champion in 2022.

If you thought he was done blasting the meet, you’d be wrong. Merely hours after pulling out, he took a jab at DL again. Several fans were up in arms about what could’ve caused the hurdler to take such a drastic step. However, one speculated that this possibly was regarding the appearance fees. He simply responded with, “Trash a– track meet.” The hurdler was looking forward to the finals after his victory in Zurich. However, his disdain towards the meeting now was not lost on many.

Grant Holloway’s dominance took center stage right after he claimed his first Olympic gold at the Stade de France. Throughout the athletics section of the Summer Games, we’ve witnessed the winners ring the iconic bell. However, when it was the 26-year-old’s turn, he decided to kick it up a notch. The Olympian rang the bell five times, each ring signifying his world championship gold medals—three outdoor and two indoor. However, let’s look at how the fans feel about his absence in Brussels.

Grant Holloway’s withdrawal sent shockwaves through the track and field community

With the finals just days away, fans hoped to see the Olympian replicate his win in 2022. However, this news poured cold water on their expectations. One fan stated, “They spunked all their cash on McLaughlin, who doesn’t even compete in diamond league.” Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will be participating in 2 pre-game events in Brussels. While many don’t know why the 26-year-old stepped back, this fan seemed to believe it has something to do with the 400m hurdles Olympic champion.

A fan exclaimed, “Unfortunate news, considering how often you competed at DL meets when you could have ended your season earlier after achieving your goal. You’re the freaking Olympic Champion!” Grant Holloway has competed in 5 Diamond League meets this year: Prefontaine Classic, Monaco, Lausanne, Silesia, and Zurich. Except for Lausanne, he’s clinched a gold in every single meet. Another fan confessed, “Nooooo 😩 Tough to hear.. Was looking forward to watching you do your magic.” Many fans voiced similar concerns, stating the 110m hurdles will miss the zing Holloway added to the event.

One fan agreed, “@Diamond_League do something, 110m hurdles is nothing without Grant Holloway, that’s who we want to see !!!” After finally claiming the Olympic champion title, many hoped to see him dominate the track in the Diamond League. Another fan pointed out, “Why would you not want the best hurdler we’ve seen in decades to not participate in your league over a silly. 2024 is exposing all the problems on track that’s holding the sport back.” This is not the first time the Diamond League has found itself in the eye of the storm.

On September 3, track legend Carl Lewis famously stated he was “not a fan” of the meet. The hurdler’s withdrawal seems to have added more fuel to the fire. Many believe that Grant Holloway’s post was as straightforward as it gets. However, the true reason for him stepping back remains a mystery. The finals will take place in Brussels on September 13 and 14. But with the hurdler giving it a miss, fans are still on the fence about how it will play out. Do you agree with them? Let us know!