Grant Holloway is looking for his first Olympic gold metal this summer in Paris.
Former Florida track and field star [autotag]Grant Holloway[/autotag] has taken the sport by storm over the past five years along with fellow American Noah Lyles. Since rooming together at Doha in 2019, the pair have been a nearly unstoppable force.
Nearly.
“We were roommates in Doha in 2019. We were talking and we were like we can really take this sport by a chokehold,” Holloway recalled at the USA track and field Paris Olympics press conference. “I think ever since then for both of us, weâve had our ups and downs, thatâs track and field. Any given Sunday anything can happen. We both just want to be consistent and dominant in the sport.”
Since then, the two have dominated the world track and field championships, with Hollowayâs taking in three consecutive world championship golds in the 110 hurdles. However, neither topped the podium at the previous Tokyo Olympics â Holloway finished second in the 110 hurdles after he was upset by Jamaicaâs Hansle Parchment.
Holloway talks about Tokyo vs Paris
“Obviously, Tokyo is Tokyo and weâre in Paris now.” Holloway notes. “I honestly donât even like talking about it because at that time I was just literally running.”
The decorated track and field standout came out of college blazing but still was very unrefined in comparison to his professional peers.
“I didnât know what I was doing for hurdling. I knew how to hurdle but I was literally just running. I didnât know what I was doing for hurdling. Like I know how to hurdle but I was really just running. I donât know what I was doing in a sense.
Now I know my segments. Itâs just like reading a book. You read left to right. You get a little more intricate with your abilities â what youâre strengths and weaknesses are. I’ve just been homing in on that.”
Holloway in the groove now
“I love the sport,” Holloway said. “I love the consistency that Iâm having and how everybody recognizes how consistent I am.”
Hollowayâs personal-best time of 12.81 is just shy of the 12.80 world record set by Aries Merritt in 2012. The U.S. hurdler could threaten the world record in Paris, but the primary objective for the three-time world champion is to win his first-ever Olympic gold medal.
“The gold medal of course is the main goal for all of us here on this stage,” Holloway said. “To be able to represent our country, our last name, who we are and our communities. I think just kind of going forward for all that. We are all fit, we are all ready and we are all ready to have some fun.”
Holloway’s Olympic schedule outlook
- Aug 4 at 5:50 a.m. ET (110m hurdles heat)
- Aug 6 at 4:50 a.m. ET (110m hurdles repechage round)
- Aug 7 at 1:05 p.m. ET (110m hurdles semifinals)
- Aug 8 at 3:45 p.m. ET (110m hurdles finals)
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