Sprint hurdler Cordell Tinch succeeds Grant Holloway as world champion with a dominant display.

Cordell Tinch spent the pandemic period selling mobile phones and installing machinery that made toilet paper. Since returning seriously to athletics in 2023, though, he has enjoyed a meteoric rise and on Tuesday (Sept 16) won the world 110m hurdles crown in Tokyo.

The 25-year-old from Wisconsin clocked 12.99 (-0.3) as Jamaican duo Orlando Bennett and Tyler Mason came second and third in 13.08 and 13.12 respectively.

Enrique Llopis of Spain was fourth in 13.16 with home nation hope Rachid Muratake receiving the biggest cheer of the night as he finished fifth in 13.18.

Grant Holloway, who has been dominant in this event in recent seasons, has not found his form this summer and was only sixth in his semi-final with 13.52.

Tinch was a promising sprint hurdler and NFL player during college but had a three-year break from track where he did a series of odd jobs before finally returning to athletics.

He failed to make the US team last year by one place but this year it was his turn to shine and he took the opportunity in style.

"When I crossed the finish line I felt relieved," he said. "I came into this season with the goal of winning the world title. I wanted to be the best hurdler in the world.

"Keeping the medal with America is fantastic. I stepped away from the track for a couple of years but I am not regretting it at all. If I hadn't taken that break from the track, I wouldn't be a world champion now. Everything I learned at that time away from the sport made me the man I am and a world champion.

"There are ups and downs, but at the end of the day you get what you're supposed to get. Being the only one to run sub-13 today makes me happy. I believed I was the best out there, so I didn't feel any pressure. People expected me to panic but I stayed focused.

"I don't think any hurdler will tell you can run hurdles perfectly, unless it's 12.79. I don't think it was a perfect race but it was the race I needed to get the job done."