“Lost part of me a year ago, still searching to put it back in place,” Cordell Tinch wrote on social media in 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic was tightening its grip on the world. The Wisconsin native went back home to Green Bay after leaving school, and what followed was a three-year break from the tracks. At the Tokyo World Championships, however, Tinch had finally found his place: on top of the podium. Indeed, it was a revelation to him.

Edging out the likes of Tyler Mason and Orlando Bennett and posting a staggering 12.99 on the clock, Tinch claimed gold in the men’s 110m hurdles at the Japanese capital. While for most athletes, such triumph only comes from sweating it out for years on the tracks, Cordell believes it was his time away from sports that helped him etch his name among the elites. In an X post by NBC’s Travis Miller from September 16, the Minnesota alum’s emotional words after the race were shared.

On being asked how he felt the break helped him, Cordell, grinning, said, “I think that without me finding myself, without me stepping away from sports in 2019-2020, to be able to find myself, I don’t think I would have found myself on the top of the podium in 2025.” It was evident that while talking about his long break between 2020 and 2023, memories were rushing back.

During that period, Cordell worked several odd jobs, including installing cables, selling mobile phones, and operating machinery that made toilet paper. But that was also the time when Tinch finally found his calling. “Being able to step away from sports in general, kind of living through things that I don’t wanna do, you know. I don’t wanna sell phones, I don’t want to work on paper mills, I want to have my own hours, be able to work toward something as a goal,” the truth revealed itself to the track star.

And boy, was he able to reach that goal! While the big win in Tokyo is undoubtedly Tinch’s biggest triumph yet, it wasn’t a fluke. Instead, it was the culmination of an incredible season. After he missed making it to the national team for the Paris Olympics last year, Cordell returned in 2025 with a hunger to prove his worth like never before.

This year, Cordell Tinch won five Diamond League golds in the men’s 110m hurdles before bagging the title at the finals in Zurich in August. In the heats of the ongoing World Championships, Tinch finished third, making many fans doubt his chances of winning in the final race. However, in the semis, he decreased his time by 0.15, and hopes of seeing the American triumph were high once again. But no one was really prepared for just how well Cordell would perform in the final in Tokyo.

Bennett crossed the finishing line a full 0.09 seconds after Tinch, while Jamaica’s Mason clocked in 13.12. And with that, Cordell completed his redemption arc.

Cordell Tinch claims his rightful place finally

Tinch returned to hurdling in 2023 after encouragement from his mom and friends. He switched to Pittsburgh State and soon showed signs of greatness. At the USATF Championships that year, Cordell made waves. While he did settle for silver ultimately, his blitzing 13.04 in the semis was good enough to entice Tinch to go pro. However, another blow was waiting for him at the World Championships in Budapest later in the year. A fourth-place finish in the semis denied him a place in the final lineup.

However, he buckled down and waited for his next season. At the US Team Trials in 2024, Tinch finished the men’s 110m final in fourth place, which made him miss making the national team for Paris, despite clocking a time that was good enough to win silver at the 2024 Olympic Games. All those setbacks only seemed to help bring out the best in him.

This year, Tinch has been incredible, to say the least. After hauling gold at the Xiamen Diamond League, the hurdler went on to record his personal best in the 110m hurdles in Shaoxing in May (12.87). In June, he defeated Omar McLeod at the FBK Games and noted that he will use his platform to give a voice to his fellow athletes. With his thunderous win in Tokyo, we suspect his determination to be a “soundboard” will only get bolstered. So, what do you think is next for Cordell Tinch? Tell us in a comment!