The final curtain call of races on Sunday in Kingston, Jamaica came down to the women’s 400m and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone battled the wind for a 50.32 victory — and her first Grand Slam Track title.
McLaughlin-Levrone was one of several champions crowned at National Stadium as she swept the women’s long hurdles group with a pair of commanding performances to lock in 24 points, the most possible in each of the race categories. Andrenette Knight was second in 52.09 and Dalilah Muhammad third in 52.21.
Her win in the 400m hurdles on Saturday was equally as dominant as McLaughlin-Levrone — and the league — shifts to Miami in May for the next meet.
“It was amazing, great opportunity. Just so excited about where this can go for athletes, for track and field,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “It was just a really fun first meet. It’s just fun to switch from the hurdle mindset to the flat mindset and overall, it just makes you a better athlete. I don’t think there’s any pressure to it, it’s really just focusing on yourself.”
Other championships reached the top of podium in the last day of action, with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed a sweep of her own, winning the women’s short sprint group and battling for the 200m victory in 23.46.
Jefferson-Wooden, the Paris Olympic 100m bronze medalist, took the 100m win on Saturday and pushed by a surging Jenna Prandini who finished in second in 23.56. Jacious Sears was third in 23.79.
“Today was more about running,” Jefferson-Wooden said after the race. “I signed up for Grand Slam because it wants to change the sport as a whole. Even though, everyone right now is not included, that’s never to say it can’t be done. I feel like with change, you do what’s uncomfortable and you have to take some time and be patient to get it going in the right direction.”
Ejgayehu Taye added to the list of athletes who swept their race groups as she used a grueling last lap to take the 5,000m in 14:54.88 and win the women’s long distance category. Agnes Ngetich held the lead for the entire race before Taye swooped in on the final 400 meters. Taye won the 3,000m on Friday and just barely edged Ngetich in that race, setting up Sunday’s showdown.
In the men’s long distance group, Grant Fisher finished third in the 3,000m in the 8:03.85 but had to battled with just half of a lap remaining to win the overall title. The race started off with a burst from Hagos Gebrhiwet who commanded the field from the start and needed the other competitors to decide the long distance group outcome. Fisher barely won the title, with his 18 points just squeezing by Gebrhiwet’s 17 total.
Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s short distance group after 1:46.44 second place finish in the 800m that gave him 20 total points after his victory in the 1,500m on Saturday. Marco Arop won the 800m in 1:45.13 and was second in the short distance group with 15 points.
Sasha Zhoya blasted his way to victory in the 100m in 10.55 and used his 110m hurdles second place finish on Saturday to give him 20 points and the men’s short hurdles title.
In the men’s long hurdles section Alison dos Santos won the 400m in 45.52, pulling off the sweep after grabbing the 400m hurdles on Friday and taking his 24 points into championship glory. He edged past Chris Robinson by just .02, who finished in 45.54.
Women’s Slam champions
Short Sprints – Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (24 points)
Long Sprints – Gabby Thomas (20 points)
Short Hurdles – Danielle Williams (20 points)
Long Hurdles – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (24 points)
Short Distance – Diribe Welteji (20 points)
Long Distance – Ejgayehu Taye (24 points)
Men’s Slam champions
Short Sprints – Kenny Bednarek (24 points)
Long Sprints – Matthew-Hudson Smith (20 points)
Short Hurdles – Sasha Zhoya (20 points)
Long Hurdles – Alison dos Santos (24 points)
Short Distance – Emmanuel Wanyonyi (20 points)
Long Distance – Grant Fisher (18 points)
