Freddie Crittenden had kissed the Eugene track in 2021, believing it would be his last time competing. That came after a disappointing season in which he did not qualify for the Olympics and suffered an injury just before the U.S. Olympic Trials. He felt ready to step away then. But his teammates at the Phoenix Track Club wouldn’t let him quit. “They knew I loved it so much, I wasn’t ready to be done,” he later said. Three years later, he returned stronger, qualified for the Paris Olympics, and finally earned the title of Olympian. Now, at 31, the former Michigan high school standout has once again decided to retire from the sport.

Crittenden has confirmed that he will retire at the end of the 2026 outdoor season, Citius Mag shared on X. Speaking about his decision, he said, “I wanted to announce it because I would like to cherish these last few meets that I have and take the time to say thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey – competitors through the meets that I’ve met, agents, teammates, coaches….”

After years of fighting just to stay in the sport, why step away now that he has reached its biggest stages? The 31-year-old American hurdler holds a personal best of 12.93 seconds in the 110m hurdles, placing him tied 10th on the U.S. all-time list alongside Renaldo Nehemiah. He is still expected to compete in select meets this season, including Hengelo on June 21, 2026, and the Paris Diamond League on June 28, before bringing his career to a close.

His final races on U.S. soil are expected at the Murphey Classic in Memphis on July 11 and the USA Outdoor Championships in New York from July 23 to 26 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Yet the question arises: why is he retiring?

He shared, “There are many reasons why I’ve decided to retire this year, even though I think I can still run some of my best times ever right now, but the biggest reason is my family. I wanted to prioritize time with them as it’s growing. I wanted to prioritize time with my wife and support her in this time as well.” With life shifting beyond the track, what comes next becomes the real question.

He is the father to his daughter, Zari Jo, with his wife, Tor Hawley Crittenden, and the couple is also expecting another child. “Baby sis coming September 2026,” he shared on Instagram.

But at the same time, he has also started thinking about life after sprinting, writing, “I got like 7 resumes I can send out too. Coaching, Content Creation, Social Media, Talent Acquisition, Sales—That’s what I’m working on these days. Buddy need to get a job 😂” But for him to reach this far, the cost was high.

Freddie Crittenden’s long road from struggle to the Olympic final

Freddie Crittenden’s career is not just about results; it is also about how long he had to fight before reaching them. Over time, he has earned major wins like the NACAC Championships title, NACAC U23 Championships gold, National Indoor Championships victory, and top 8 finishes at the Olympic Games. But the success, however, came after years of hard work.

Crittenden was not fully sponsored and didn’t have a consistent income from athletics before becoming a top-level hurdler. Training at a high level and facing everyday survival were facts of his life. To continue, he took different jobs like retail, delivery, warehouse, and substitute teaching positions.

Around 2021, everything that could go wrong went wrong. Hamstring injuries cost him his Olympic qualification, and the financial burden of life away from the track became an increasing burden.

However, things started to change when he returned in 2022 and ran a sub-13. In 2023, he got into the U.S. team, grabbing 4th place in the finals at the World Championships in Budapest. But stability was still missing as he had no sponsorship.

Things changed in 2024. At the U.S. Olympic Trials, he ran a personal best of 12.93 seconds in the 110m hurdles. Soon after, he signed up for an Adidas contract. But just before his first Olympic race in Paris, he aggravated an adductor injury.

Team USA doctors ruled there was no structural damage, just pain. So, to play safe, he ran in the heat and finished at 18.27 just to secure a spot in the second-chance rounds, called a repechage round.

Crittenden took the chance to reset and gain some momentum and made it all the way to the Olympic final, where he placed sixth in the world in 13.32 seconds. It was a long, not-so-smooth road, and survival was as impressive as performance.