Not so fast: 110m hurdles record not in jeopardy in Paris, says Jackson

PARIS : Grant Holloway may be the favourite to take Olympic gold in the 110 metres hurdles but the world record could be too great a leap for the American, former record-holder Colin Jackson said on Saturday.

Three times world champion Holloway was a hundredth of a second short of Aries Merritt's 2012 world record of 12.80 three years ago and speculation has followed since over whether he could break that barrier. 

His best run of this year - 12.86 in Eugene, Oregon - is the world lead but Britain's Jackson said the Olympic pressure cooker would take its toll.

"It's really difficult to break world records at the Olympic Games. It's really difficult," said twice world champion Jackson.

"Grant will have to run hard to win the title. It's not going to be easy for him. So when you have that added pressure to him, then it's kind of difficult."

Holloway has long believed that the mark was within his sights, after he broke Jackson's 27-year-old world record in the 60 metres hurdles in 2021.

But the Tokyo silver medallist appeared to tamp down speculation over a potential record at the Games, telling reporters at the Monaco Diamond League earlier this month "the world record is overrated".

"Is he capable of breaking the world record? For sure, for sure," Jackson, who won silver at the 1988 Seoul Games, told reporters at the Puma House. "But maybe not here."