EUGENE – Grant Holloway exploded out of the blocks and never was challenged Friday at Hayward Field en route to the USA Track & Field 110-meter hurdles title.

Holloway crossed the finish line with a winning time of 12.86, a world leader. Holloway will be joined on the U.S. Olympic team by Freddie Crittenden, second in 12.93, and Daniel Roberts, third in 12.96.

A vocal crowd of 11,775 witnessed history. It’s the first time three men have finished the 110s under 13 seconds in the same race. Both Crittenden and Roberts clocked personal records.

Who knows what might have happened had Holloway not hit the eighth hurdle?

“I was kind of mad at myself, because for the first time in a long time, I hit a hurdle,” Holloway said. “It kind of threw off my rhythm. But I knew what kind of pace I was on, so I know it’s there. We’ll continue to work, continue to brush it up, sharpen the knives and get ready for next week.”

Aries Merritt owns the U.S. and world record of 12.80 set in 2012. Holloway has been under 13 seconds in every race this week. Stay tuned.

Holloway already is well decorated. He is a three-time world champ and the 2021 Olympic silver medalist.

This is comparatively new for Crittenden, who dipped below 13 seconds for the first time. He looked like he needed to pinch himself while talking to reporters to make sure this was real.

“Honestly, I’m still in shock,” Crittenden said. “I’m still trying to figure out what happened. But it’s an amazing feeling to come out here and accomplish what I’ve been trying to accomplish for the past 17 years I’ve been running track. It’s beautiful.”

Maybe most beautiful of all was looking up and seeing the times flash up on the scoreboard.

“I saw the 12.86,” he said of Holloway’s winning time. “And I was like, ‘I was right there.’ Then when I saw the 12.93, I was like, ‘Whaaaat?’ It was just pure excitement, excitement in the purest form. Intangible excitement. You can’t even describe it.”

Crittenden knew he was capable while judging himself against the competition through the rounds during the meet.

“Ultimately, I’m just thinking what I can do and what I can execute on,” Crittenden said. “I was feeling amazing. So, I was pretty confident betting on myself and going there and executing. But seeing the result of that race, it was amazing.”

Ditto for Roberts, the 2019 U.S. outdoor champion and bronze medalist at last year’s World Outdoor Championships. It also was his first race under 13 seconds.

“Ever since 2019 when I ran my PR of 13.00 at nationals, since then it’s always been on my mind to get that sub-13,” Roberts said. “It’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of ups and downs.”

The best is yet to come, Roberts said.

“I felt like today wasn’t even the cleanest race,” he said. “I felt like I got out really well, and was moving super well through the first half of the race. At the end, it was like waiting for the line to come.

“When I leaned I saw Freddie, Grant and that’s it. I assumed I got third. Still, waiting to see my name up there was very nerve-wracking.”

It was worse for Cordell Tinch and Ja’Qualon Scott, who were left on the outside looking in. They finished fourth and fifth respectively with times of 13.03 and 13.09 respectively. Only the top three finishers made the U.S. Olympic team.

Here are the results from The Olympic Trials: https://results.usatf.org/2024trials/

-- Ken Goe for The Oregonian/OregonLive