EUGENIO, Oregon. Grant Holloway won the US track trials in the 110 meter hurdles on Friday, finishing in 12.86 seconds, the fourth fastest time in history, to earn the chance to win the Olympic title that eluded him in a shock defeat Three years ago.
The 26-year-old three-time world champion will go into the Olympics as the favorite, even after overcoming the eighth hurdle and having to lean into the finish to beat Freddie Crittenden by 0.07.
This marked Holloway’s third under-13 race of the season – the second fastest of his career. Daniel Roberts finished third in 12.96, making this the first race in history with three under-13 times.
Others with unfinished business at the Olympics include Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles, each of whom shined in the 200-meter semifinals to score runs on Saturday and qualify for their second event.
Richardson faces Gabby Thomas in what could be one of the best races of the trials.
Holloway’s 110 hurdles were impressive, although he knows that getting to the games and taking home Olympic gold are two different things.
In Tokyo three years ago, he cleared all 10 hurdles but faded late and lost by 0.05 to Jamaican Hansle Parchment, who is contesting his country’s national championships this weekend. Holloway called it one of the worst races he has ever run and one of the best at Parchment.
Sha’Carri Richardson had a personal best time. Gabby Thomas had the best time of the season.
Next, the final clash between the two best in the 200 meters.
Thomas, the 2021 Olympic bronze medalist, looked at the scoreboard and seemed surprised to see “21.78” in her name after the semifinal, a mark that surpassed the 2024 best by 0.05.
Richardson was equally pleased with his 21.92, which matched a personal best.
“It just shows that I’ve been working, not just myself but my team, getting ready for this moment,” Richardson said.
Thomas made a smooth turn and accelerated down the final straight to achieve a time that not even she expected. She said she would love to put up another low number last Saturday.
“I absolutely would,” she said. “If I make the team, I want to leave with another world leader, another ‘pb’ and show everyone that I’m ready to compete.”
Lyles ran a wind-assisted 19.60 to win his semi-final and was thinking about more than the Olympic spot he will compete for on Saturday.
“After the 100 years, I thought I could come here and attack the American record again, maybe the world record. We’ll see,” said Lyles, who won the 100 meters last weekend.
Two summers ago at this track, Lyles ran 19.31 to topple Michael Johnson’s hallowed American record of 19.32. The world record belongs to Usain Bolt at 7:19 pm.
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