Beaten in America After 11 Years, Grant Holloway Reflects on the Lessons That Fueled His Track and Field Rise

For top athletes like Grant Holloway, losing is never easy. But for him, a loss isn’t a failure; it’s just fuel for the next comeback. Even though 2025 hasn’t been his smoothest ride so far, let’s not forget: this is a guy who’s currently ranked #1 hurdler in the world. He’s an Olympic gold medalist, a three-time World Champion, and an Olympic silver medalist. That’s a career most athletes can only dream of. But when someone at that height struggles, people everywhere begin to pay attention. Fans get upset, critics want answers, and the athlete carries that weight. That’s been the reality for Holloway throughout this season.

The outdoor season has not gone well for him this year. At the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville on April 19, Grant Holloway lost in the U.S. to Trey Cunningham, who ran a world-leading 13.09 seconds. Holloway hadn’t lost a race at a U.S. meet for over 11 years. A week later, his performance slipped at the Xiamen Diamond League on April 26, when he finished 10th with a time of 13.72 seconds, struggling noticeably with an injury.

 But there’s one clear thing: Holloway can manage when things do not go as planned. Holloway’s capacity to handle and get through challenges is shaped by more than natural talent; it is the result of a mindset developed as a young person, as he talked about during his appearance on a recent ‘Ready, Set, Go’ podcast episode with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green.

Reflecting on his career, Grant Holloway shared that setbacks are part of the journey. “I took a couple of losses every now and then… even in my pro career, I’ve lost Diamond Leagues, I’ve lost some meets in the regular season, and even I lost the major to Hansel Parchment in the Olympics,” he admitted. Yet, despite these losses, his approach has always been to focus on the bigger picture — longevity in the sport.

Early teaching from Stan and Latasha Holloway has greatly influenced Holloway’s success. “You got to win four track meets,” they told him when he turned pro. “You got to win indoor trials, indoor worlds, outdoor trials, and outdoor worlds. You can lose every track meet you want, but if you win those four, you’ll be damn good in this sport.“

This key advice from his parents stayed with him over the years, so Grant Holloway uses it before each race. He reiterated their wisdom, saying, “You can lose the battle, but you gotta make sure you win the war.”  Holloway is able to keep his attention on his big goals, even when quick results aren’t coming, because of this way of thinking.

He said his parents always taught him he needed to succeed when things were tough, telling him, “You have to be a big-moment type of person.”  Preparation isn’t only for the body; it also includes building mental toughness. Having confidence and personal assurance because of his parents helped him reach his goals.

“I gotta tell myself, ‘Look, at the end of the day, I’m going to win, and if I don’t win, I’m definitely going home with a medal.'” This way of thinking has guided him, so he regularly appears at big competitions, certain he deserves to be there. According to him,  “I’m leaving here with something.“

Holloway’s parents encouraged him to believe in himself, just as Cam Newton did when he said, “There’s not 32 quarterbacks better than me.” Holloway’s mentality is, “There’s not three hurdlers better than me when I step foot on the line at the major.” The confidence his parents gave him has kept Holloway on track and willing to win, even when things get very hard. All of this happened after he went through a major heartbreak.

Grant Holloway turned defeat into victory

Although his road has had its obstacles, it’s because of these that Grant Holloway’s story is so impressive. Although favored to win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he ended up with only the silver medal in a nail-biting race with Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment taking first. Most of the race was his to lose, but he lost it in the final stretch. That loss didn’t dissuade him — it gave him new ambition.

“I’ve got unfinished business.” he wasn’t done yet, and that is why he performed even more impressively afterwards. In the 2023 World Championships, Grant Holloway secured his third successive World Championship gold in the 110m hurdles after running a season’s best of 12.96. But the real story came in 2024. After that near miss in Tokyo, Holloway finally got the gold he’d been chasing.

At the Paris Olympics, he dominated the 110m hurdles final with a time of 12.99 seconds, securing his first Olympic gold. It wasn’t just about one race; it was about the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance. And even in 2025, Grant Holloway keeps raising the bar. He extended his unbeaten streak in the indoor 60m hurdles to an incredible 94 wins.

In doing so, he clinched his fifth national title in the 60m hurdles with a world-leading time of 7.36 seconds. When it comes to Holloway, setbacks are just another hurdle he has to jump over on his road to greatness. As for winning, if we know him for what he has done till now, he will be back to his winning ways soon.