Now, Grant Holloway has long been a titan in the world of track and field. His dominance has been so great that he has become synonymous with American dominance at the 110m hurdles. But with all the World Championship wins and all the medals, people have started to think that the man just might be invincible. But that illusion of Holloway being above competition was broken come the track season of 2025. In less than a few weeks, he has already had a few hiccups. But now something even more troubling has come up for Holloway. Something that could derail the future trajectory of the Olympic Gold medalist. So what happened?

Well, this latest blow came on April 29, 2025, when Track & Field Gazette announced on X that Holloway had withdrawn from the upcoming Shanghai Diamond League meet scheduled for May 3. The post, which garnered significant attention, confirmed that the American star would be replaced by Eric Edwards in the men’s 110m hurdles event. How did Holloway go from headlining this meet to pulling out entirely?

The withdrawal is compounded by the athlete’s shocking performance at the Xiamen Diamond League just days earlier, on April 26, 2025. Holloway, typically a podium lock, finished dead last in the men’s 110m hurdles, a result that left the track community stunned. Hansle Parchment took the win in 12.96 seconds—a mere 0.02 off his personal best—while Daniel Roberts secured second in 13.03.

Holloway, however, crossed the line in 13.12, holding on for third in a race where he hit the last hurdle hard and struggled to stay on his feet. This marked a significant departure from his usual form, especially considering his history of dominance. Earlier, a knee injury had been a lingering issue—he shared on the Ready Set Go podcast that his knee “swelled up like a balloon” after a 435 lb front squat mishap. 

Now, with injury concerns swirling again, what does this mean for Holloway’s future in a sport that demands peak physical condition?

Holloway’s Injury Scared Season 2025

The Shanghai Diamond League on May 3, 2025, was poised to be a blockbuster, especially with Grant Holloway headlining the men’s 110m hurdles. Track & Field Gazette had teased a loaded field on April 27, featuring Holloway alongside Jamaica’s Hansle Parchment, the 2020 Olympic champion; USA’s Cordell Tinch; and Japan’s Rachid Muratake and Shunsuke Izumiya.

And Holloway was by far the biggest attraction of this whole fanfare. As a three-time world champion (2019 Doha, 2022 Eugene, and 2023 Budapest) and the 2024 Paris Olympic gold medalist in the event, Holloway has carved out a legacy as one of the sport’s brightest stars. His personal best of 12.81 seconds, set at the U.S. Olympic Trials on June 26, 2021, makes him the second-fastest man in history at the 110m hurdles.

With an incredible record that includes a long-standing indoor winning streak in the 60m hurdles since 2014, Holloway has been the gold standard for hurdlers worldwide. But now, with Holloway’s withdrawal, it is a huge letdown for a meet that was already buzzing with anticipation. How will this absence impact Holloway’s momentum?

Looking forward, Holloway’s future feels uncertain, and that’s a tough pill to swallow for fans who’ve seen him dominate. His 2025 struggles included a last-place finish at the Xiamen Diamond League on April 26, where he clocked 13.72 seconds, hobbling after a rough race, and an earlier defeat at the Tom Jones Invitational. A knee injury has been a lingering issue.

Grant Holloway’s been pushing his body way too hard since the 2021 season. Despite winning in Nanjing earlier this year, this withdrawal raises questions—can Holloway recover and reclaim his throne, or will 2025 mark a turning point for the hurdles king?