For a long time, when it came to the 110m hurdles, there was one name that was considered unbeatable. With a long string of victories and an Olympic Gold, Grant Holloway has long been the gold standard when it comes to the sport. But that sense of invincibility has finally shattered this season as the undisputed king had his first stumble at the heartland of China in the Xiamen Diamond League, finishing at a humble 10th with an underwhelming time of 13.72 seconds. This stumble has been so sudden that Grant has now found himself on the receiving end of some words of advice. But from whom?

Well, for that, we might need to go back to last month. After all, it was here that a freak injury during a 435-pound front squat left Grant’s knee swollen “like a balloon.” And just like that, the king of hurdles found himself on the ropes. Now, with multiple elite hurdlers like Cordell Tinch and Trey Cunningham running sub-13.15 times early in the season, the men’s 110m hurdles landscape is shifting. And thus, US track legend Justin Gatlin has a message for Holloway: it’s time to fight back.

“I think my personal opinion for Grant is to mount up for war,” Gatlin said on the Tidal League podcast. He further pointed out that for the past few years, many of Holloway’s competitors were almost Starstruck by his sheer talent, speed, and dominance in the 110m hurdles. They admired the way he ran and the times he consistently delivered, often making it seem effortless.

However, Gatlin emphasized that admiration only lasts so long in elite competition. Every time an athlete steps on the track, their performance is recorded, dissected, and turned into a blueprint for their downfall. Behind closed doors, coaches and athletes are poring over footage, analyzing every detail of Holloway’s technique, identifying his strengths, and, more importantly, his weaknesses.

Their goal isn’t just to compete with him anymore, Gatlin warned. It’s beating him. And they’re preparing their strategies with that mission in mind. Gatlin emphasized that Holloway’s dominance has made him a target. And now, the field has caught up.

“If there’s a glimmer of ‘yeah, we’re on the right track,’ then you have to be prepared for war because now these guys aren’t going to lay down for you anymore. They’re going to come ready to run and not worried about you pulling off or pulling away at the first hurdle.” With the U.S. Nationals approaching and the Olympics looming, Holloway’s comeback will be under the microscope. 

Gatlin sees it as a defining moment. “I want to see Grant mount up for war. I want to see Grant say, ‘Hey, I’m him. I’m trying to tell y’all, ‘I’m him.’ Go out there and run a 12.8. Go out there and drop a dominant time; show the world you’re ready.” Surely, there’s no doubt Holloway has the talent. But as Gatlin pointed out, the challenge has returned. And it’s what he needs. Surely, while Holloway will try to claw his way back to the top, he still remembers the one race that turned his life upside down for the good. 

Grant Holloway credits the Diamond League final for turning his career around

Grant Holloway has world titles, an Olympic gold, and a nickname, ‘sub-13.’ And that continued to echo his consistent brilliance. But if you ask him what truly shifted the gears in his legendary sprint hurdles career, he won’t point to Tokyo or Budapest. He’ll take you back to 2022, to the Wanda Diamond League Final. That’s where it all clicked.

Holloway jokingly shared, “It’s nice to have a big old diamond sitting in your house and everybody asking if it’s real!” But there was nothing lighthearted about what that moment meant. More than just the sparkle of the trophy, the 2022 win recalibrated his mindset. “Other than the major championship titles, the Diamond Trophy is the next best thing,” he said.

For Holloway, it wasn’t just a prize. Rather, it was proof. A stamp of dominance across all terrains, not just the big stage. Winning that final turned more than just heads; it turned his confidence up a notch. He started viewing Diamond League races not as stepping stones, but as stages where a career could transform. He reflected, “These meetings are quite literally the building blocks to success.”

Now, with Tokyo 2025 looming and another Diamond Trophy in his sights, Holloway isn’t just chasing titles. He’s chasing that feeling. The one that first hit him under the lights in 2022.