2026 Men’s 110m Hurdles Preview: Is It Cordell Tinch’s Year (Again)?

The 2026 men’s 110-meter hurdle season looks to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, potentially. While Cordell Tinch already established himself as the world’s top hurdler in 2025, there remains a deep field filled with emerging talent looking to make this year an exciting one.

A New Standard at the Top

American hurdler Cordell Tinch concluded the 2025 season as the world’s premier hurdler and enters 2026 as an early favorite. Tinch posted the fastest time of the year in 2025 with 12.87 seconds at the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala on May 3. This mark ranks him tied for fourth on the all-time list behind Aries Merritt, Grant Holloway, and Devon Allen.

His breakthrough campaign culminated in a first‑ever global title at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he clocked 12.99 for gold ahead of strong challenges from Jamaica’s Orlando Bennett (13.08 seconds) and Tyler Mason (13.12 seconds).

To remain at the summit of the sport, Tinch will need to balance early‑season speed with peak form at major championships to fend off challengers.

Editor’s note: Since the time the original writing of this article, Cordell Tinch entered the foray in the men’s long jump, potentially surprising everybody but himself with a world-class leap of 8.29 meters. The mark bettered his personal best of 8.16 meters from 2023, a year he also jumped 2.21 meters in the high jump.

Challengers on the Global Stage

Four of the five top hurdlers of all time come from the United States, but there are plenty of challengers from around the world in 2026.

Rachid Muratake

Rachid Muratake (JPN) enters 2026 as the second-ranked hurdler in World Athletics rankings, with his 2025 season capped by his 12.92-second season and personal best. Japan’s national record holder Muratake blends youthful energy with increasingly polished race execution, the kind of consistency that can cause trouble in any lineup.

Upside: Could contend for podiums if his peak speed aligns with major championships. In 2026, the most important competitions on the calendar will be the Diamond League Final and World Athletics Ultimate Championships

Orlando Bennett

Orlando Bennett (Jamaica) is the silver medalist from the Tokyo World Championships with a PB of 13.08, set in the final of last year’s World Championship. He remains a strong finisher capable of late-race surges.

Upside: His closing speed means medal races aren’t finished until the final hurdle. Technical refinement could convert silver into gold.

Tyler Mason

Tyler Mason (Jamaica) is the bronze medalist from Tokyo with a 13.12-second PB. He excels in navigating rounds efficiently and has shown remarkable consistency, running 13.12 in two of the past three seasons.

Upside: Small improvements in start and rhythm could elevate him into gold territory at major championships.

Grant Holloway

Grant Holloway (USA) is the former World and Olympic champion. He missed the podium in Tokyo after a disappointing 2025 campaign, but he remains the second-fastest hurdler of all time and 0.01 seconds off the world record.

His personal best time of 12.81 seconds is now 5 years behind him, and he’s coming off the first season since 2020 where he didn’t run under 13 seconds. In 2020, when he ran a best of 13.19 seconds, he returned the next season to run the fastest time of his career. Time will tell if this pattern will hold again.

Upside: Holloway is a proven champion and a factor in any race he enters. A return to form and some fast early-season times would likely make him an instant favorite in 2026.

Rising Talent & U.S. Depth

The U.S. continues to produce world-class hurdlers, making internal competition to make national squads nearly as fierce as global finals. Here are some American hurdlers to watch.

Ja’Kobe Tharp

The 20-year-old Ja’Kobe Tharp clocked 13.01 in 2025 as a teenager, showing elite potential. He’s already the World U20 Champion from 2024 and looks to keep moving up the world rankings at the senior level.

Upside: Tharp represents the next generation of American hurdlers. Rapid improvement in rhythm and composure could move him into medal contention internationally.

Trey Cunningham

Trey Cunningham has sub-13 capability and international experience. He’s gotten painfully close to breaking the 13-second barrier, running this time exactly in 2022 and twice last season.  

Upside: Cunningham brings depth and veteran savvy to the U.S. team. When firing technically, he can challenge for finals and podiums.

Dylan Beard

Dylan Beard has a dangerous combination of raw speed and technical potential. He had a season and personal best in 2025 of 13.02 seconds and has improved his time in every season since 2022.

Upside: Rising American talent capable of challenging for finals. Peak form could propel him into podium positions.

Zach Extine

Zach Extine, an NCAA standout, reflects the increasing influence of collegiate athletes at the senior level. He ran a personal best in 2025 of 13.13 seconds.

Upside: Extine highlights the NCAA pipeline’s impact on global depth. A breakthrough at national trials or Diamond League meets could boost him into elite company.

International Emerging Contenders

Here’s a look at some of the other top global contenders for 2026.

Sasha Zhoya

France’s Sasha Zhoya has elite technique, and the former World U20 winner is a rising global threat. He’s coming off his strongest season, running 13.06 seconds.

Enrique Llopis

Spain’s Enrique Llopis is currently ranked number three globally in the 110-meter hurdles.  He’s a strong European contender for reaching the top of international podiums with a 13.09-second personal best he attained in 2024 (as well as a slightly windy 12.98-second time set in early August of last year). He’s coming off fourth-place finishes at the Olympics and World Championships in the past two seasons.

Jason Joseph

Switzerland’s Jason Joseph is a consistent European finalist with international experience and the Swiss record. Joseph set a new personal best of 13.07 in June, capping a season that featured a steady run of indoor and outdoor personal bests.

Rasheed Broadbell

Rasheed Broadbell is already an Olympic bronze medalist and Commonwealth Games Champion. He ran a personal best of 13.06 seconds last year in his home country of Jamaica.