LOS ANGELES, CA — Grand Slam Monitor, the trailblazing skilled league constructed to reimagine the world of aggressive athletics, has concluded its electrifying 2025 pilot season.
In a daring transfer that underscores each its ambition and long-term technique, the league introduced that the much-anticipated Los Angeles Slam might be postponed till the 2026 season, permitting organizers to focus absolutely on strengthening the worldwide footprint and aggressive excellence of this rising drive in monitor and area.
On the shut of its historic inaugural marketing campaign, Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson-Wood had been topped Grand Slam Monitor’s first-ever Racers of the Yr, having delivered dominant, undefeated performances throughout the season’s three championship occasions.
A transformational first season
Launched with a mission to breathe new life into skilled monitor competitors, Grand Slam Monitor accomplished three wildly profitable Slams in Kingston, Jamaica; Miami, Florida; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. From world-class dash showdowns to breakthrough performances from rising stars, the sequence delivered a compelling mixture of elite athleticism and crowd-thrilling leisure.
“The choice to conclude the inaugural Grand Slam Monitor season shouldn’t be taken calmly,” stated league founder and commissioner Michael Johnson. “However it’s rooted within the perception that now we have efficiently achieved the goals we got down to on this pilot season—and within the significance of looking forward to 2026 and past.”
“We launched with a daring imaginative and prescient to reimagine skilled monitor racing,” Johnson continued, “and we couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about what we’ve achieved up to now—delivering wonderful races to a rabid fan base.”
Why 2026 issues greater than ever
Johnson acknowledged the broader financial context and the necessity to safe the league’s sustainability:
“The worldwide financial panorama has shifted dramatically prior to now yr, and this enterprise determination ensures our long-term stability because the world’s premier monitor league. Our consideration is now on 2026, with our eyes set on persevering with to ship the best-in-class storytelling, content material, and competitors we turned recognized for this yr.”
He confirmed that Los Angeles stays a cornerstone metropolis for Grand Slam Monitor, stating that the league is already in superior talks with new host cities for subsequent season. “We’re dedicated to calling Los Angeles residence,” Johnson emphasised. “We look ahead to internet hosting a Slam there as a part of our 2026 season.”
Racers of the Yr: Historical past made by Bednarek and Jefferson-Wood
Few athletes personified the mission of Grand Slam Monitor higher than Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson-Wood, every of whom received three consecutive Slam titles en path to incomes prime league honors.
“It’s an unimaginable honor to be named Racer of the Yr,” stated Bednarek, the one undefeated athlete throughout all disciplines within the league’s debut yr. “This league gave me the stage to point out my full potential—particularly within the 100m—and it means the world to be a part of one thing this particular. One of the best is but to come back.”
Jefferson-Wood echoed the sentiment:
“Change isn’t all the time simple, however I’m glad Michael Johnson discovered a option to take a leap of religion and construct one thing for the way forward for our sport. Grand Slam Monitor provides me a platform not simply to develop as an athlete, however to embrace challenges and have enjoyable doing it.”
Moments that outlined the season
From the second the season started, highlight-reel performances poured in throughout disciplines and cities:
- Gabby Thomas stormed to victory within the Girls’s Lengthy Sprints in Kingston.
- Masai Russell set an American report within the 100m hurdles (12.17) on the Miami Slam.
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone delivered dominant shows within the Girls’s Lengthy Hurdles.
- Grant Fisher received back-to-back Males’s Lengthy Distance titles.
- Sasha Zhoya dazzled with each his racing and post-race dance strikes in Kingston, although Trey Cunningham outpaced him in Miami to grab the Males’s Quick Hurdles crown.
- Alison dos Santos established his dominance with back-to-back Males’s Lengthy Hurdles wins.
Challengers shine: A brand new period for the unsponsored and underdog
Considered one of Grand Slam Monitor’s most impactful improvements was its Challenger mannequin, which gave rising athletes an actual shot at recognition and reward.
Jacory Patterson, who works nights unloading vehicles for UPS, and Dylan Beard, who balances coaching with a day job at Walmart, every received $50,000 after breakout performances in Kingston and Miami. Beard’s story struck a chord with followers all over the world, showcasing the league’s dedication to making sure monitor athletes are handled as professionals.
Even last-minute call-ups seized the second. Tia Jones, summoned on quick discover to the Kingston Slam, received the 100m hurdles, and practically matched Russell’s American report two weeks later in Miami.
A league that listens: Adaptability and innovation at its core
Halfway via the season, Grand Slam Monitor adjusted its format based mostly on athlete and fan suggestions—increasing its occasion construction to a two-day competitors format in Philadelphia, which can now function the mannequin going ahead. This flexibility, paired with broadcasts reaching greater than 200 nations and territories, helped the league cement its fame as a world disruptor on the earth {of professional} monitor.
Trying forward with gratitude and goal
“I need to thank the entire unimaginable athletes who participated this season,” stated Johnson. “They’re true trailblazers and can all the time be often known as history-makers in our sport.”
Grand Slam Monitor additionally prolonged its appreciation to followers, companions, and sponsors who introduced the imaginative and prescient to life. Ticket holders for the now-canceled 2025 Los Angeles Slam will obtain computerized full refunds inside 10–14 enterprise days. Questions could also be directed to the UCLA Field Workplace at [email protected].
Although this yr’s competitors has drawn to an in depth, the message is obvious: Grand Slam Monitor is simply getting began.
