As Kingston, Jamaica, prepares to host its inaugural Grand Slam Track occasion this weekend (April 4–6), an exciting line-up of elite athletes is about to gentle up the Nationwide Stadium with world-class performances.
With only a day to go earlier than the motion kicks off, the excitement surrounding the occasion has reached a fever pitch, with athletes desperate to showcase their pace on probably the most iconic tracks on the earth.
Meet the rivals
The primary-ever Grand Slam Observe occasion has already seen some last-minute adjustments to the competitor roster, as anticipated on the earth {of professional} athletics. “We knew once we introduced the fields greater than three weeks forward of the primary Slam that there could be some adjustments,” stated Kyle Merber, Senior Director of Racing at Grand Slam Observe. Regardless of the few scratches, together with famend names like Favour Ofili and Hansle Parchment, the occasion stays stacked with high-quality expertise.
The addition of recent challengers corresponding to Jodean Williams, Zandrion Barnes, and Omar McLeod solely raises the stakes for the already spectacular record of rivals. Merber, expressing his pleasure, acknowledged the outpouring of curiosity from athletes. “Whereas accidents and sudden circumstances are out of our management, we’ve chosen to be clear with followers reasonably than maintain them at midnight,” he stated. “We’re excited to have crammed the open lanes with athletes who’re able to compete on the highest degree.”
A spectacle of expertise and rivals
Followers will witness among the quickest athletes on the planet as they line up for his or her shot at glory. Within the males’s brief sprints, Olympic and World Championship medalists like Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, and Indirect Seville will face off towards rising stars corresponding to Courtney Lindsey and Joseph Fahnbulleh. The ladies’s brief sprints will function a fierce battle between Brittany Brown, Daryll Neita, and the up-and-coming Jodean Williams, making for a gripping contest that guarantees to maintain viewers on the sting of their seats.
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The lengthy sprints will see powerhouses like Gabby Thomas and Jereem Richards conflict, with the lads’s 400m promising fireworks as Muzala Samukonga, Matthew Hudson-Smith, and Vernon Norwood go head-to-head for supremacy. The hurdles occasions are equally full of star energy, with defending champions and world report holders, together with Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Alison Dos Santos, able to show their dominance.
But it surely’s not simply the dash occasions that can seize consideration. The space races will function gritty rivals like Grant Fisher and Hagos Gebrhiwet, whereas the long-distance ladies’s race boasts rising abilities like Nozomi Tanaka and Elise Cranny. In each race, there might be drama, dedication, and athletes prepared to interrupt private bests.
A contemporary tackle monitor & discipline
One of many standout options of Grand Slam Observe is the emphasis on head-to-head competitors. “That is all about racing towards each other, not chasing instances,” Merber emphasised. With no pacing lights or rabbits, each race might be an unfiltered showdown the place the perfect athletes will struggle for victory, not only for quick instances. With a complete prize pool of US$12.6 million yearly throughout all Grand Slam occasions, the stakes are excessive—and each athlete has one thing to show. The winner of every Slam group will take residence US$100,000 in prize cash, and the Eighth-place competitor will earn US$10,000.
The occasion is structured as a collection of standalone Slams, with no factors carrying over between them, including an additional layer of depth to every competitors. For followers, this implies a contemporary probability to see the world’s quickest and most expert athletes compete each single time.
A world celebration of monitor & discipline in Kingston
Because the birthplace of world-renowned sprinters and a nation with a wealthy legacy in athletics, Kingston is the right host for this prestigious occasion. The Grand Slam Track in Jamaica might be broadcast in 189 nations and territories, bringing this extraordinary competitors to a worldwide viewers. The occasion guarantees not solely to showcase top-tier expertise however to have fun the island’s deep roots in monitor and discipline, tradition, and sporting excellence.
“This occasion won’t solely be concerning the athletes but in addition about celebrating Jamaica’s vibrant tradition,” stated Merber. With thrilling competitions and the electrical ambiance of Kingston, it’s set to be a landmark second for monitor and discipline followers worldwide.
A timetable of thrills
The Kingston Slam will unfold throughout three high-energy days. On Day 1, April 4, the stadium will come alive with the 200m, 400m, 100m, and extra, whereas Day 2 ramps up the depth with the 110m hurdles and 200m sprints. Day 3 guarantees a dramatic finale, culminating in a collection of brief and long-distance occasions the place athletes will push their limits for that all-important victory.
As followers put together for what guarantees to be an unforgettable occasion, the anticipation is palpable. “The ambiance in Kingston might be electrical,” stated Merber, encapsulating the joy of athletes and followers alike. It’s clear: that is just the start of one thing extraordinary.
Full Kingston Slam Race Group Line-ups (® denotes Racer; © denotes Challenger, daring denotes introduced not too long ago):
Males’s Brief Sprints: Kenny Bednarek ®, Fred Kerley ®, Indirect Seville ®, Zharnel Hughes ®, Courtney Lindsey ©, Ackeem Blake ©, Terrence Jones ©, Joseph Fahnbulleh ©.
Girls’s Brief Sprints: Brittany Brown ®, Daryll Neita ®, Melissa Jefferson-Picket ®, Alana Reid ©, Jacious Sears ©, Tamara Clark ©, Jodean Williams ©, Kemba Nelson ©.
Males’s Lengthy Sprints: Muzala Samukonga ®, Matthew Hudson-Smith ®, Jereem Richards ®, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi ©, Vernon Norwood ©, Chris Bailey ©, Deandre Watkin ©, Zandrion Barnes ©.
Girls’s Lengthy Sprints: Gabby Thomas ®, Nickisha Pryce ®, Alexis Holmes ®, Marileidy Paulino ®, Salwa Eid Naser ®, Dina Asher-Smith ©, Talitha Diggs ©, Stacey Ann Williams ©.
Males’s Brief Hurdles: Freddie Crittenden ®, Sasha Zhoya ®, Daniel Roberts ®, Orlando Bennett ©, Omar McLeod ©, Cordell Tinch ©, Eric Edwards Jr. ©, Dylan Beard ©.
Girls’s Brief Hurdles: Ackera Nugent ®, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ®, Masai Russell ®, Cyréna Samba-Mayela ®, Danielle Williams ©, Amber Hughes ©, Denisha Cartwright ©, Nia Ali ©.
Males’s Lengthy Hurdles: Clément Ducos ®, Alison Dos Santos ®, Caleb Dean ®, Roshawn Clarke ®, Malik James-King ©, CJ Allen ©, Chris Robinson ©, Assinie Wilson ©.
Girls’s Lengthy Hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ®, Rushell Clayton ®, Jasmine Jones ®, Shiann Salmon ©, Cathelijn Peeters ©, Andrenette Knight ©, Dalilah Muhammad ©, Cassandra Tate ©.
Males’s Brief Distance: Cole Hocker ®, Josh Kerr ®, Yared Nuguse ®, Marco Arop ®, Emmanuel Wanyonyi ©, Bryce Hoppel ©, Neil Gourley ©, Mohamed Attaoui ©.
Girls’s Brief Distance: Jess Hull ®, Nikki Hiltz ®, Diribe Welteji ®, Mary Moraa ®, Sage Hurta-Klecker ©, Heather MacLean ©, Natoya Goule-Toppin ©, Susan Ejore ©.
Males’s Lengthy Distance: Grant Fisher ®, Ronald Kwemoi ®, Hagos Gebrhiwet ®, Cooper Teare ©, Thierry Ndikumwenayo ©, Charles Philibert-Thiboutot ©, Dylan Jacobs ©, Telahun Haile Bekele ©.
Girls’s Lengthy Distance: Nozomi Tanaka ®, Tsige Gebreselama ®, Agnes Ngetich ®, Elise Cranny ®, Hellen Ekalale ©, Whittni Morgan ©, Melissa Courtney-Bryant ©, Ejgayehu Taye ©.
Day 1, Friday, April 4, 2025
Time Occasion M/W Group
5:42 200m W Lengthy Sprints
5:54 400m M Lengthy Sprints
6:04 3000m W Lengthy Distance
6:21 800m W Brief Distance
6:34 400m H M Lengthy Hurdles
6:46 400m H W Lengthy Hurdles
6:56 5000m M Lengthy Distance
7:21 100m M Brief Sprints
Day 2, Saturday, April 5, 2025
5:42 100m H M Brief Hurdles
5:56 200m M Lengthy Sprints
6:08 1500m W Brief Distance
6:25 100m H W Brief Hurdles
6:38 100m W Brief Sprints
6:50 1500m M Brief Distance
7:07 200m M Brief Sprints
7:21 400m W Lengthy Sprints
Day 3, Sunday, April 6, 2025
2:42 100m W Brief Hurdles
2:54 400m M Lengthy Hurdles
3:04 5000m W Lengthy Distance
3:29 100m M Brief Sprints
3:39 800m M Brief Distance
3:49 3000m M Lengthy Distance
4:08 200m W Brief Sprints
4:21 400m W Lengthy Hurdles
