Cordell Tinch has a story to tell
Interview by Jeff Benjamin, story by Larry Eder
A good athlete in high school, Cordell won a conference championship as a freshman at the University of Kansas in 2019.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cordell retired from the sport. He hit what he later called a “mental block.” Cordell stayed away from the sport for nearly three years.
Cordell Tinch has spoken in several interviews about his “odd jobs” during this time away from the sport. He was employed by US Cellular as a cell phone salesman and worked at the Georgia-Pacific Paper Mill.
Cordell Tinch has been open about his mental health challenges. During his time away from the sport, Cordell told the media that he found himself and gained perspective on returning to the sport.
In 2022, after some encouragement from a former teammate and his mother, Cordell returned to college at Pittsburgh State, an NCAA Division II school in Kansas.
That first season, Cordell won the 110m hurdles, high jump and long jump at the same NCAA D II Championships, something that had never been done before. It was in 2022.
In 2023, Cordell Tinch ran a 12.96 to break the NCAA record in the 110m hurdles. That was in June 2023. In 2024, Cordell finished 4th in the 110m hurdles final at the Olympic Trials, having been under attack for less than two years.
2025 was incredible. He ran a 12.87 in early Diamond League matches in China. That 12.87 moved Cordell to No. 4 all-time and made him the fastest hurdler of 2025.
At the world championships, Cordell kept his cool and took the win in Tokyo, Japan in 12.99 in a hot, humid and pressure-filled world championship.
Cordell had a short indoor season, running the 60m hurdles twice and leaping 8.28 meters for the long jump.
Cordell was asked at the Millrose Presser Jeff Benjamin, Senior Writer at RunBlogRunabout the race that was a turning point in his career.
Enjoy the video.
#turningpointsIn the Jan. 30 Millrose Games Presser, we asked Cordell Tinch if there was any race or event that told him Cordell could be an elite track and field athlete. Cordell Tinch is the 2025 outdoor world champion in the 110m hurdles. Interview with Jeff Benjamin… pic.twitter.com/STnHNHINhV
— RunBlogRun (@RunBlogRun) February 25, 2026
