Holloway wins third world indoor 60m hurdles title in Nanjing

Grant Holloway won his third successive world indoor 60m hurdles title, taking gold in Nanjing in 7.42 to extend his 11-year winning streak.

After some close races through the rounds, Holloway was a class apart in the final, winning by 0.12 from France's Wilhem Belocian. China's Liu Junxi was just a further 0.01 behind, taking bronze in 7.55.

The dominance of the 27-year-old US athlete was never in doubt, having clocked a world lead of 7.36 in Lievin last month. Here in Nanjing he raced to times of 7.49 and 7.48 to top the standings in the heats and semis.

In the final, the reigning Olympic champion was a tad slow out of the blocks but quickly recovered to distinguish himself from the rest of the field to claim his third consecutive world indoor gold. His winning time of 7.42 was 0.15 shy of his own world indoor record, but he still won by a comfortable margin and his 11-year winning streak doesn’t look to be in danger.

With his victory in Nanjing, the three-time world outdoor champion is only the second man in World Indoors history to claim three 60m hurdles titles, following the footsteps of his compatriot Allen Johnson who claimed gold in 1995, 2003 and 2004 respectively. Holloway, however, is the first man to claim three consecutive titles in the event.

“It was great,” he said. “This one was a little bit different. I didn't have two great rounds, and had to rely on my experience to get me through the final. But I knew what I had to do; I knew what I was missing. Everybody was telling me, ‘you've done this a million times before, you just got to do it again’.

“To win three indoors, and three outdoors, I think I'm the first person in history to ever do that. That's an amazing stat. Also, I think I can put grace in it, and hang up the 60m hurdles and try out a new event next year. That's something I can think about.”

For Frenchman Belocian who claimed the silver medal, his position in Nanjing is certainly an upgrade from his eighth place in Belgrade in 2022 and the first senior global medal for the 29-year-old who recently won another silver at the European Indoor Championships.

China’s Liu Junxi gave the home crowd something to cheer for by snatching the bronze medal in the keenly contested race. The host country had two representatives in the men’s 60m hurdles final, with national indoor champion Weibo Qin finishing eighth in a time of 7.72.

Yemi Galadima for World Athletics