The 33-year-old Olympic champion, using his trademark late surge, clocked 13.13 to claim victory over the USA's Daniel Roberts, who was among the early leaders. The American clocked 13.15 in the blanket.
Wilhem Belocian of France crossed the line third in 13.30.
Holloway was edged out by Jamaica's Hansle Parchment at the delayed 2020 Games but travelled to France having won three straight World Championship golds.
He flew out of the blocks in Thursday's final at the Stade de France, taking the crown with a time of 12.99 seconds.
Fellow American Daniel Roberts claimed silver with a time of 13.09, with Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell taking bronze.
Holloway sprinted to the bell following his triumph before declaring: "I've made it. I've done it. I am the Olympic champion."
The 26-year-old had previously won gold at the World Indoor Championships and the Diamond League, in addition to his triumphs at the 2019, 2022 and 2023 World Championships.
Broadbell recovered from a shaky start to power through the field on the way to be shoulder-to-shoulder with American Daniel Roberts heading into the final hurdle.
Roberts, who miraculously stayed on his feet after clipping a series of hurdles in the middle of his race, held his nerve to produce a dive across the line to just hold off Broadbell and take the silver medal.
Both Roberts and Broadbell were credited with the same time (13.09) with Roberts finishing three thousandths of a second ahead (13.085 to 13.088).
American reigning two-time World champion Grant Holloway ran 12.99 to claim his first Olympic title and continue his dominance on the event.
Spain’s Enrique Llopis ran 13.20 in fourth while Japan’s Rachid Muratake ran 13.21 in fifth. American Freddie Crittenden ran 13.32 in sixth while Jamaica Orlando Bennett and defending Olympic champion Hansle Parchment were seventh and eighth with 13.34 and 13.39, respectively.
In the men's 110m hurdles, Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell, the Olympic bronze medalist, and his compatriot Orlando Bennett will face off against the formidable American Olympic champion Grant Holloway. Holloway, a two-time world champion, is known for his explosive speed and technical prowess, but the rising French sensation Sasha Zhoya, who has been making waves on the European circuit, is also in the mix. This highly anticipated race is set to be a highlight of the meet, with Broadbell and Bennett looking to upset the reigning champion.
On the women's side, the 100m hurdles will see a clash of titans as Jamaica's Ackera Nugent, the second-fastest woman in the world this year, takes on a formidable field. Nugent, an Olympic finalist and Jamaican champion, will go up against 2019 World champion Nia Ali, former world record holder Kendra Harrison, and Olympic champion Masai Russell. The stacked lineup guarantees a fierce competition, with Nugent aiming to cement her place among the best.
In the blue-riband 100m dash, Jamaica's sprinting sensation Kishane Thompson, who holds the fastest time in the world this year at 9.77 seconds, will lead a trio of Jamaican sprinters. Thompson will be joined by Rohan Watson and Ackeem Blake as they take on an all-star cast, including Olympic champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs, American Fred Kerley, and African champion Ferdinand Omanyala. Christian Coleman, the former world champion, is also in the lineup, making this race one of the most anticipated events of the day.
The women's 100m promises to be equally electrifying, with Jamaica's two-time world champion Danielle Williams set to battle for a spot in the final against American Olympic finalist Grace Stark and French Olympic silver medalist Cyrena Samba-Mayela. With the level of talent on display, this race is poised to be a showstopper.
In the field events, Jamaica's Rajindra Campbell, the Olympic bronze medalist in the shot put, will face the ultimate test as he goes up against Olympic champion and world record holder Ryan Crouser. The shot put competition is expected to be intense, with Campbell aiming to challenge the seemingly unbeatable Crouser.
The 400m hurdles will feature Jamaica's Roshawn Clarke and Jaheel Hyde, both Olympic finalists, taking on a strong field that includes Norway's Karsten Warholm, the Olympic silver medalist, and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi. The women's 400m hurdles will see a quartet of Jamaican stars—Rushell Clayton, Shian Salmon, Andrennette Knight, and Janieve Russell—competing against American Olympic silver medalist Anna Cockrell and former world record holder Dalilah Mohammed.
In the triple jump, Jamaica's Olympic silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts and compatriot Ackelia Smith will face a tough challenge from Cuba’s Laidagmis Povea and American Olympic bronze medalist Jasmine Moore.
Barbadian star Sada Williams will represent her country in the 400m, where she will take on an exceptional field that includes Olympic gold medalist Marileidy Paulino, silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser, and USA’s rising star Alexis Holmes. The presence of Irish sensation Rhasidat Adeleke adds further intrigue to this already competitive race.
The meet will close with the women’s 100m dash, featuring Jamaica's Olympic finalists Tia Clayton and Natasha Morrison. They will face off against Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose Ta Lou, and the USA’s Tamari Davis. With so much talent on display, this race promises to be a fitting finale to a day of high-octane athletics.
The 31-year-old Jamaican pulled off an upset at the Tokyo Olympics defeating USA champion and world-leader Grant Holloway in the final as Jamaica took gold and bronze medals in the event. He returns to Des Moines after a six-year hiatus, having last competed at the Drake Relays in 2016.
Parchment will line up against reigning 110m hurdles champion Daniel Roberts, who was a semi-finalist in Tokyo in 2021. The field will also include Jamaica’s Damion Thomas, a semi-finalist in Tokyo, Michael Dickson, as well as Aaron Mallett, Jamal Britt. Chris Douglas and David King, both finalists at the 2022 Indoor World Championships, have also been confirmed for the sprint hurdles race.
Parchment should have good memories of his participation in Des Moines as he won the sprint hurdles in 2014. He was third in 2016.
The 33-year-old Olympic Champion got his usual slow start but showed strength and excellent technique to blaze past his competitors, including reigning three-time World Champion Grant Holloway, in a season’s best 12.96, the joint-second fastest time in the world this year.
Daniel Roberts, who took bronze behind Holloway and Parchment in Budapest last week, was second in 13.03 while Holloway ran 13.12 for third.
Parchment’s winning time was the second fastest of his career and only the second time he’s gone below 13 seconds. His personal best of 12.94 came on July 5 in 2014 in Paris.
Parchment, the Olympic champion, hurdled his way to a world-leading 12.93s, which is also a personal best for the 33-year-old Jamaican. World champion Grant Holloway, the early leader, had to settle for second place clocking 13.06, 0.01 ahead of compatriot, Daniel Roberts, who clocked in at 13.07.
Parchment’s time also makes him the fastest Jamaican in the world this year, eclipsing the 12.94 set by Rasheed Broadbell at the National Stadium in Kingston in July.
Parchment produced 13.07 to take silver behind American Grant Holloway who ran a season’s best 12.96 to claim his third consecutive World title. Holloway’s American teammate Daniel Roberts was third with 13.09.
This is Parchment’s second World Championship silver medal after running 13.03 at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing.
Among the highly anticipated events is the men's 110m hurdles, featuring Olympic champion Hansle Parchment and Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell. They will be joined by standout American hurdler Daniel Roberts, promising a thrilling battle over the barriers.
In addition to the hurdles spectacle, the sprint events will showcase talents such as recently crowned World Indoor 60m champion Julien Alfred, making her return to Jamaica after her high school years. Joining her are international sensations like Great Britain's Dina Asher Smith and two-time world champion Abby Steiner, ensuring top-class competition on the track.
The men’s sprints is promising to equally captivating with Zharnel Hughes, Marvin Bracy, Trayvon Brommel, Abdul Hakim Sani-Brown and Fred Kerley confirmed for the meet.
The 400m races will see world championship gold medalist Alexis Holmes taking on Jamaican quarter-milers Charokee Young and Stacey-Ann Williams in the one-lap sprint, while Commonwealth Games medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith leads the men's charge.
Two-time world championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton will go to head to head with the outstanding Shamier Little while Pan American champion Jaheel Hyde will take on World Championship bronze medalist Kyron McMaster over the 400m hurdles.
Field events will be equally captivating, with Jamaican prodigy Jaydon Hibbert and Donald Scott confirmed for the triple jump. Two-time world championship silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts will clash with 2024 World Indoor Champion Thea Lafond of Dominica in the women's event.
Fedrick Dacres, the 2019 World Championship silver medalist, will add excitement to the men's discus event.
Ludlow Watts, chairman of the local organizing committee, emphasized the significance of the JAI in showcasing international talent in Jamaica.
“Those who might have thought that the days of staging of international events by the JAAA are over you will now know we jus’ a come,” said Ludlow Watts, who is chairman of the local organizing committee. “JAI will feature 14 international events; 10 running events and four field events. The international segment will be held between 7:30 and 9:30 pm. There will also be a developmental segment between 6 and 6:30 pm. That segment is to provide opportunity for those who did not get into the main event.
"We want every Jamaican to be in the stadium. We would like a full cheering stadium."
Ticket prices have been designed to ensure that the National Stadium will be filled to capacity for the meet. As such finish-line tickets for the Grand Stand will be sold for JMD$3000 with seats in all other sections of the stand fetching a price of JMD$2500. The Bleacher seats will be free.
Tickets for the event will be available online from April 22 to May 4 and can be purchased at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston and the National Stadium Ticket Office from May 8 to 11.
Despite finishing second in the 100m hurdles with a season-best time of 12.46, Williams displayed confidence and determination as she spoke about her performance and her preparations leading up to the national trials at the end of June.
Looking on, it appeared that Williams had an early lead before losing momentum mid-race which allowed world-record holder, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan to surge through to out-lean Williams at the line.
Amusan won in a world-leading 12.40 with the USA’s Christina Clemons finishing third in 12.54.
Williams explained what she believed occurred in the race.
"I didn’t feel like I slowed down in the middle of the race. I touched one of the hurdles which has been my Achilles heel so far," Williams commented. "Still working on it so that was probably what happened but I feel like I was still able to get back the momentum to through to the end. I feel like we’re going in the right direction."
Williams highlighted the importance of being healthy this season, expressing gratitude for her current condition compared to previous years. "Oh, we give God thanks for that because for the past few seasons this time of the year I’ve always been dealing with something," she explained. "So to make it so far and we’re doing very good, we’re managing the injuries, I think we’re in a good spot."
Looking ahead to the upcoming national trials, which are six weeks away, Williams deferred to her coach, Lennox Graham, but emphasized her confidence in her current form. "I don’t necessarily know how close we are," she admitted. "Coach Lennox Graham designed the workouts, I just show up so I don’t know where we are for that but I know we are in very good shape. We’re doing awesome in training, we’re healthy so we’re just giving God glory and thanking Him for bringing us so far and asking Him to carry us for the rest of the way."
The Jamaica Athletics Invitational also witnessed strong performances from other athletes, including Daniel Roberts of the USA, who won the 110m hurdles in 13.17, and Eric Edwards, also from the USA, who finished second with a time of 13.33. Jamaican hurdler Lafranz Campbell secured third place in the event with a time of 13.37.