USA's Grant Holloway questions his legacy after Olympic glory in Paris

USA's Grant Holloway questions his legacy after Olympic glory in Paris

Festus Chuma 06:58 - 19.08.2024

Grant Holloway has reflected on his recent Olympic gold medal win, questioning its impact on his legacy and future goals.

American Grant Holloway is basking in the glory of his recent gold medal win in the 110m hurdles at the Paris Olympics.

Yet, despite achieving the pinnacle of his sport, Holloway is left pondering whether this monumental victory is enough to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greats.

The 26-year-old Chesapeake native, who has dominated the hurdles for half a decade clocked an impressive 12.99 seconds to claim the elusive Olympic title.

This win adds to his already extensive resume, which includes three World Championship golds and titles across indoor, outdoor, and Diamond League competitions.

Yet, for Holloway, the achievement has not fully registered.

"It hasn't hit me yet," he confessed in an interview with 13NewsNow.

Even after such a career-defining moment, Holloway remains committed to honing his craft.

“You heard right. The Chesapeake native is still puttin’ in work.”

This gold medal marks the first time an American has won the 110m hurdles at the Olympics since 2012, a significant feat that Holloway recognizes as the final missing piece in his career grand slam.

"Probably one of the medals that I'm going to cherish for a while," Holloway admitted.

"All the hard work and sacrifice that I've done. Kind of just looking back on it, that was the one thing missing from my resume."

The victory in Paris adds to an already storied career, with Holloway achieving what many athletes can only dream of—a complete set of titles in his discipline.

But even after capturing the career grand slam, Holloway is still questioning what comes next.

"Most people complete only maybe 50% of it.I'm happy for my team. Happy for everybody that believed in me. Happy for my sponsors that helped me get to that moment," he said.

Holloway’s journey to Olympic gold was far from straightforward as after winning silver at the Tokyo Games in 2020, he knew that the gold was within reach, but that it would require even greater focus and determination.

Now that hashe achieved it, Holloway is already looking ahead, setting his sights on the next challenge: the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"Let's keep making this legacy great," Holloway declared. "Michael Jordan didn't stop after he won one world title. He kept going and going and going."

While the victory in Paris is a significant milestone, Holloway is far from complacent.

He arrived at the Olympics undefeated this year, both indoors and out, having set a new world indoor 60m hurdles record at 7.27 seconds in February and claiming the world indoor title in Glasgow.

In late June, he ran a world-leading 12.86 to win the U.S. title in Eugene, Oregon, making him the overwhelming favorite in Paris.

The race itself was intense, with U.S. teammate Daniel Roberts lunging at the finish line to claim silver in 13.09 seconds, narrowly beating Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell by three-thousandths of a second in a photo finish.

The gold medal may have filled the final gap in his resume, but for Holloway, the journey is far from over.

"I just want to continue to work. Make myself to be one of the greats that ever were in the sport."

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