On May 3, under the shimmering lights of the Grand Slam Track meet in Miami, the men’s 110m hurdles was set to be a fiery clash between Sasha Zhoya, the defending Grand Slam Track champion, and Freddie Crittenden. That was the script. But as soon as the gun went off, it was clear—this wasn’t going to be their race. Trey Cunningham had other plans. From the very first hurdle, the tone was set.

“He is a seven foot to the first hurdle. And that looked effortless,” the commentator marveled as Cunningham rocketed forward, slicing through the air with surgical precision. It wasn’t just hurdling. It was a flight. Cunningham’s form was pristine. “He’s a tall hurdler… less drive steps in between, very clean snapping down with that trail leg,” came the voice from the broadcast booth. Every movement from the 26-year-old looked automatic, honed, and almost poetic. This wasn’t just a race. It was a statement. Well, by the time Cunningham hit the tape, he had stopped the clock at 13.00 seconds flat — the second-fastest time in the world this year. Only Cordell Tinch’s 12.87 at the Shanghai Diamond League earlier in the day stood above it. And just two weeks ago, Trey had shocked the track world with a world-leading 13.09. Now, he’s made it clear — that was no fluke. This is a comeback tour with a purpose.

It wasn’t an easy race either. He had to fend off Sasha Zhoya, who was breathing down his neck in the final meters. But Cunningham, cool under pressure, held his form and crossed first. But how? After the race, he finally opened up in a raw, post-race chat with Tiara Williams. “It’s been a hard two years to get back to where I was,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion. “And I think I’m finally getting back to my rhythm. I’m just really coming out and focusing on my race because at the end of the season, we’ve got a World Championship in September. These races are all about stacking reps and figuring out what I need to improve.”

Cunningham, a proud product of Florida State University, is peaking at the right time — and doing it with grace and grit. However, Tiara pressed further, asking if there had been any visible change in his technique this season. Cunningham smiled and offered a humble breakdown of what’s working. “You know, focus on my lane and what’s between my two lines,” he said. “I had a good build with me. They definitely pushed me at the end. Sasha here with me — I mean, I felt him coming on so strong. I was like, ‘Go away, go away!’” he added with a laugh. “The competition definitely gave me the push to get over the finish line that way. But my start was great. And I’m excited to see what happens later. Thank you so much.” Improvement is visible, though. 

A week ago, Grant Holloway’s expression said it all. As he spoke about entering the Diamond League in Xiamen, there was a visible storm of emotion behind his composed words. The reigning king of the 110m hurdles had just seen his long-standing winning streak snapped at the Tom Jones Memorial — and the man who did it was none other than his familiar rival, Trey Cunningham. “This season was to stay undefeated all the way throughout,” Holloway admitted candidly. “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.” So, how does the change look in the last two years in the 26-year-old athlete’s performance? 

Trey Cunningham has come a long way in the last two years 

The last two years were tough on Trey Cunningham. At the 2023 USA Championships in Eugene, he clocked a modest 13.23 seconds (+1.1) in the men’s 110m hurdles — a performance that left more questions than answers. Then the US Olympic Trials came last year, where he looked sharper, clocking 13.12 seconds (+1.8) in the prelims. Hopes were high. But in the final?

A shocking 13.39 seconds and a ninth-place finish meant no ticket to Paris. No Olympic dream realized. Just heartbreak at Hayward Field. Additionally, at the Racers Grand Prix, he had a familiar mark: 13.12 seconds (+0.8)—the exact time he would run in the Olympic Trials heats a few months later. But this time, it carried a different weight. It wasn’t about survival. It was a stepping stone. Fast forward to 2025, and Trey Cunningham is rewriting the story — his way.

Because now, just three races into his 110m hurdles season, Trey Cunningham is on fire. In two of those outings, his performances have ranked among the top three times in the world this year, including a blistering 13.00 at the Miami Grand Slam meet that stamped his comeback in bold. Now, what we’re witnessing isn’t just a return — it’s a resurgence. Trey Cunningham is no longer chasing form. He’s setting the standard. So, the message is loud and clear: he may have missed the flight to Paris last year, but this season, he’s charting a whole new course. And it’s straight to the top.