The wait finally ended on Friday night in Kingston, Jamaica as the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track launched with eight events and dominant performances from some of the sport’s top names.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone started her year off with a world-leading 52.76 in the women’s hurdles, and appearing close to top form as she cruised to the win in her first race since appearing at the Diamond League final in Brussels in September.
“There wasn’t much of a plan today. Just trying to be as technical as possible and see where each stride pattern took me,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “Just shaking the cobwebs off. Obviously that first one [of the season] always hurts.”
Dalilah Muhammad finished second in 54.59 and Rushell Clayton took third in 55.02.
Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas held the honor of being the first ever winner in a Grand Slam Track Meet as she surged to a 22.62 win in the women’s 200m. Marileidy Paulino was in 22.93 with Dina Asher-Smith in 22.96.
“Because the stakes of these competitions are really high,” Thomas said. “Normally, these early season meets we’re just practicing and feeling it out. Here at the Grand Slam the stakes are high, the prize pot is huge and the level of competition is also really high. That’s not something that we’re really used to in our sport and I think it’s really good.”
In other action, Grant Fisher pulled off a dramatic win in the men’s 5,000m with late heroics on the final lap to take the win in 14:39.14 over Cooper Teare (14:39.31) and Dylan Jacobs (14:39.56). The pace was noticeably reserved for the bulk of the race but picked up drastically on the bell lap.
Kenny Bednarek needed every inch of the track in the men’s 100m as he barely slipped past Oblique Seville in 10.07 — a one hundredth of a second margin or victory. Seville took second in 10.08 with Zharnel Hughes in third in 10.13.
Ejgayehu Taye soared in the women’s 3000m in 8:28.42 for the fastest time ever recorded in the Caribbean as she edged by Agnes Jebet Ngetich (8:28.75) and Tsige Gebreselama (8:38.15).
In the women’s 800m, Nikki Hiltz used a commanding 1:58.23 performance to grab the win, a personal best and post the world lead for the year. Diribe Welteji took second in 1:58.29 and Jessica Hull was third in 1:58.58.
Chris Bailey seized the moment in the men’s 400m with 44.34 effort to beat Matthew Hudson-Smith (44.65) and Vernon Norwood (44.70)
Alison dos Santos posted world-leading 47.61 in the men’s 400m, easily clinching the mark ahead of Roshawn Clarke who finished second in 48.20 and Caleb Dean’s 48.58 for third place.
The next round of events continues on Saturday with eight more races, including the men’s 110m hurdles, men’s 200m, men’s 1,500m, men’s 200m, women’s 1,500m, women’s 100m hurdles, women’s 100m and women’s 400m.
Competitors earn points based on results in every race with a 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 point system that will ultimately decide the overall winner of each event group. Stakes are high as event winners will win $100,000 — the highest of any track and field league — as eighth place finishers take home $10,000.
The action shifts to Miami for the next meet on May 2-4 and Philadelphia on May 30-June 1.
At the final Grand Slam Track meet on June 29 overall men’s and women’s full season champions will be announced.
