Four Slam Champions Crowned at Grand Slam Track Kingston Slam Day Two

Kenny Bednarek and Gabby Thomas are each $100,000 richer after being named Slam Champions at the inaugural Grand Slam Track event in Kingston, Jamaica, Saturday night. The two Americans claimed their titles in the final two events of a thrilling evening of racing at National Stadium.

Bednarek dominated tonight’s 200m, winning in 20.07. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes was a distant second in 20.37. Bednarek, a two-time Olympic 200m Silver Medalist, swept the Men’s Short Sprints Race Group. He also won Friday night’s 100m making him the first Slam Champion to win both races in the Race Group.

For Thomas, the reigning 200m Olympic Champion, it took running a massive personal best in the 400m to win the Women’s Long Sprints Race Group. Thomas finished second in 49.14. That combined with her victory in last night’s 200m gave her enough points to win the Slam. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser won the race in a world-leading time of 48.67.

Earlier in the evening, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Diribe Welteji became the first ever Slam Champions in the history of the new track league founded by Olympic legend Michael Johnson.

Hudson-Smith of Great Britain won the Men’s Long Sprints Race Group by taking victory in the 200m in 20.77, .04 ahead of Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago. Hudson-Smith defeated Chris Bailey of the United States by four points for the Race Group victory. Bailey, who finished first in Friday night’s 400m, only finished fifth in the 200m.

Welteji’s victory in the Women’s Short Distance Race Group also came thanks to a victory on Saturday. The Ethiopian won the 1500m in 4:04.51 after finishing second in Friday’s 800m. Welteji won the Race Group by two points over American Nikki Hiltz, the first place finisher in last night’s race who placed third tonight.

Slam Champions each win $100,000. Eight more champions will be named tomorrow, the final day of competition. Other highlights from Saturday night include:

• In the much anticipated rematch of the 1500m Olympic Final, it was the 800m Paris Gold Medalist stepping up in distance and taking the victory. Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi defeated the entire 2024 Olympic podium by running a lifetime best of 3:35.18.

• Olympic Bronze Medalist Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States opened up the Women’s Short Sprints Race Group by finishing first in the 100m in 11.11. Fellow American Jenna Prandini was second in 11.23.

• In the Men’s Short Hurdles Race Group, Dylan Beard of the United States ran 13.29 in the 110m Hurdles, narrowly defeating Sasha Zhoya of France who finished in 13.34.

• Tia Jones won the 100m Hurdles in the Women’s Short Hurdles Race Group. Jones’ winning time of 12.63 is the fastest time in the world this year.

Full results can be found here.