AN AMAZING PENULTIMATE DAY of the Trials was closed out by Grant Holloway’s 12.96 win to lead a Tokyo-bound trio which also includes Devon Allen and Daniel Roberts. Holloway’s win was a fitting denouement after having won his semi with an astonishing 12.81 some 1:40 earlier.
It was Holloway’s first race of the day that set the stage, and he explained his PR run afterward in simple terms, saying, “I just came off the blocks and kept going all the way through.”
Unlike many prelims when they’re run clear of the field, Holloway finished without easing off, sprinting all the way past the finish. “I definitely felt something big was gonna happen after the heats Friday,” which he won in 13.11, only slightly slower than his seasonal best of 13.07.
The 12.81, run in lane 5 with a 1.8mps breeze, was the second-fastest in history, trailing only Aries Merritt’s World and American Record 12.80. Clean throughout, the 23-year old Holloway never nicked a barrier. Great as the run was, it was still a semi with more work to be done. “In the final, it’s just a matter of executing it,” Holloway said, and he handled the race in workmanlike fashion.
In the final, Holloway lined up in lane 4, with Allen and Roberts to his immediate right in 5 and 6. Holloway, with his left leg lead, had his trailing right leg in the lane adjacent to right leg leader Allen, but Allen was never close enough for that to matter. Holloway was quickest of the three out of the blocks and clearly led the field at the first hurdle, then steadily pulled away, running clean with no sign of a hurdle having been touched.
The 12.96 came with an 0.4mps wind. Allen was only 5th at the first hurdle despite clearing the blocks just barely behind Holloway. From there he fought his way into contention, only moving to 3rd coming off the eighth hurdle, and fighting his way past Roberts on his first step after hurdle 9. Allen finished in 13.10, Roberts barely trailing in 13.11, with Trey Cunningham 4th in a PR-equaling 13.21.
Holloway, still a high schooler at the time of the last OT, came into this year’s selection meet as the reigning world champion, having won in Doha in ’19.
He summed up his experience at this meet by saying, “The main goal was to set myself up and to let everybody know that I’m here to win. I didn’t come to this party to sit on the wall, I came here to dance!”
MEN’S 110 HURDLES RESULTS
(June 26; wind +0.4)
1. Grant Holloway (adi) 12.96;
2. Devon Allen (Nik) 13.10;
3. Daniel Roberts (Nik) 13.11;
4. Trey Cunningham (FlSt) 13.21 =PR;
5. Tai Brown (Ky) 13.32;
6. Michael Dickson (unat) 13.34;
7. Jamal Britt (Ia) 13.47;
8. Jarret Eaton (PhxTC) 13.64.
(lanes: 1. Eaton; 2. Dickson; 3. Cunningham; 4. Holloway; 5. Allen; 6. Roberts; 7. Britt; 8. Brown)
(reaction times: Eaton 0.137; Holloway 0.146; Allen 0.152; Britt 0.158; Cunningham 0.165; Brown 0.174; Roberts & Dickson 0.201)
HEATS (June 25)
I(0.7)–1. Holloway 13.11; 2. Britt 13.52; 3. Aaron Mallett (Tracksm) 13.54; 4. Jesse Henderson (MsSt) 13.66; 5. Carl Elliot (Ar) 13.67; 6. Jordan Charles (unat) 13.72; 7. Kentre Patterson (AzSt) 13.77; 8. Arthur Price (LSU) 14.02.
II(1.5)–1. Roberts 13.22; 2. Cunningham 13.23 PR; 3. Isaiah Moore (unat) 13.40; 4. Devon Brooks (Clem) 13.45 PR; 5. Jamar Marshall (AzSt) 13.47 PR; 6. Brendan Ames (unat) 13.58; 7. Paris Williams (Kenn) 13.69; 8. Dashaun Jackson (unat) 13.81.
III(0.5)–1. Allen 13.26; 2. Dickson 13.26 PR; 3. Freddie Crittenden (PhxTC) 13.43; 4. Tre’Bien Gilbert (Ar) 13.63; 5. Max Hairston (unat) 13.73; 6. Ryan Fontenot (unat) 13.90; 7. Parker Bowden (EnWa) 13.94;… dnf—Eric Edwards (LSU).
IV(-0.2)–1. Jaylan McConico (Ia) 13.35; 2. Eaton 13.51; 3. Brown 13.55; 4. Nick Anderson (unat) 13.70; 5. Luke Siedhoff (Nb) 13.72; 6. Trey Holloway (unat) 13.78;… fs—Sam Brixey (WaSt) (advanced on appeal).
SEMIS (June 26)
I(1.8)–1. Holloway 12.81 PR (WL, AL) (2, 2 W; 2, 2 A);
2. Cunningham 13.21 PR; 3. Britt 13.27 PR; 4. Brown 13.33 PR; 5. Gilbert 13.41 PR; 6. McConico 13.43; 7. Brooks 13.55; 8. Moore 13.59; 9. Brixey 13.99.
II(1.2)–1. Allen 13.10; 2. Roberts 13.25; 3. Dickson 13.29; 4. Eaton 13.32; 5. Mallett 13.33; 6. Crittenden 13.63; 7. Ames 13.96;… dq—Marshall.