Freddie Crittenden Finishes Dead Last In 110m Hurdles Heat…But Will Likely Still Make The Semi-Finals Thanks To This New Rule

Team USA’s Freddie Crittenden intentionally finished last in a 110m hurdles heat, a strategic move that has raised controversy on social media.

Crittenden, a 29-year-old Olympic debutant, finished five seconds behind fellow American Grant Holloway despite being the second-fastest 110m hurdler in the world this year. He later disclosed that a leg injury led to his decision, knowing he could use the new Olympic format to allow for more recovery time.

The new Olympic format offers a second chance in a number of events. While the top three finishers of each first-round race advance, along with the next three fastest athletes by time, those who fail to qualify can compete in the new repechage round.

Crittenden deliberately finished last, aware of the repechage rule, aiming to utilize the additional opportunity to recover and race again.

Crittenden said to the Daily Mail, “So, it was an intentional choice. It was either get top three or everyone gets through to the repechage. Every athlete has a chance to race in the repechage. So I decided to just not make an emotional choice, make a smart choice. Give my body time to recover a little bit from being aggravated. Lean on my medical doctors. Lean on God. And just wait for the repechage round. Come out [here] and try to kill it at the repechage round.”

This strategy elicited mixed reactions from fans. One supporter called it a ‘1000 IQ move‘ on social media, while another criticized it, suggesting Crittenden should be disqualified for not upholding the spirit of the Games.

Crittenden is now preparing to compete in the repechage round, aiming to qualify for the men’s semifinals on Tuesday. Some fans expressed concerns, believing the repechage rule isn’t meant to provide extra recovery time but rather a fair second chance. Despite the controversy, Crittenden remains focused on leveraging the loophole to his advantage.