Speed or Strategy? The Grand Slam Track Kicks Off with Star Power and Big Stakes in Kingston

Speed or Strategy? The Grand Slam Track Kicks Off with Star Power and Big Stakes in Kingston

The much-anticipated Track league, Grand Slam Track, is set to kick off in Kingston, Jamaica, on Friday. The event is generating buzz not only because of the location—home to some of the best sprinters in the world—but also because of the star power involved. The league will feature some of the biggest names in athletics, including Olympic champions and world record holders. It’s not just about winning, though; it’s also about the prize money, which will likely tempt these top athletes to push harder than ever.

Here’s a preview of some of the races to watch out for from April 4th- 6th

Women’s Short Sprints (100m and 200m): The women’s short sprints will be one of the most exciting events. Brittany Brown, an Olympic 200m bronze medalist, is among the top competitors. Brown’s primary challenger could be Melissa Jefferson-Woodson, the 100m Olympic bronze medalist. Jefferson-Woodson hasn’t raced the 200m in two years, but her 22.46 Personal Best from her college days suggests she could be a threat.

Brown will also face stiff competition from Jamaican sprinter Alana Reid. Reid’s performance will be particularly interesting to watch, as this will be her chance to compete against global finalists for the first time and also in front of a home crowd who can be very demanding.

Men’s Short Sprints (100m and 200m): In the men’s short sprints, Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley are the two big names to watch. Bednarek had a strong showing at the 2024 Olympics, earning Silver in the 200m and finishing seventh in the 100m. His rivalry with Kerley adds an extra layer of excitement. How the two fare in the 100m will set the tone for the 200m later in the event.

Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake, both from Jamaica, will also be in the mix. Seville has shown that he’s capable of winning or finishing high in the 100m and will most likely take the win there.  Blake’s early-season times in the 100m and 200m indicate he could be a strong contender as well. The Jamaican athletes will be eager to spoil the Americans’ chances of sweeping the short sprints on their home turf.

Women’s Long Sprints (200m/400m): The women’s long sprints will be another event to watch, with Gabby Thomas stepping up from the 100m to race the 400m. Thomas, the 200m Olympic champion, will face some tough competition from 400m specialists like Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid-Naser. Thomas is known for her speed in the 200m, but how she handles the 400m will be the big question. She was part of Team USA’s 4x400m team that won Gold in Paris last year.

On the flip side, Paulino has been dominant in the 400m, remaining unbeaten since July 2023. Eid-Naser, the Olympic silver medalist in the 400m, has started the 2025 season strong, clocking a personal best of 22.45 in the 200m and running 48.94 in the 400m, the fastest time ever recorded in March. This event will pit Thomas’ strength in the shorter sprints against the endurance and experience of Paulino and Eid-Naser.

Men’s Long Sprints (200m/400m): The men’s long sprints will feature a showdown between Matthew Hudson-Smith, Jereem Richards, and Muzala Samukonga. Hudson-Smith has Personal Bests of 43.44 in the 400m and 20.34 in the 200m, but Richards, with a 19.80 in the 200m and 43.78 in the 400m, holds the edge in terms of career accomplishments.

Samukonga, who had a strong 2024 season, could also make a splash in the 200m as he’s one of the best quarter-mile finishers on the grid.  Chris Bailey, the World Indoor 400m champion, is on an upward trajectory in this event. However, it’s important to note that many of the top athletes have yet to race this season, so it’s hard to know exactly who will be in top form.

Women’s Short Hurdles (100m/100mH) The women’s 100m hurdles will feature a rematch of the Paris Olympic medalists. Masai Russell, the Olympic champion, is joined by Ackera Nugent, the fastest 100m hurdler of 2024. The competition will also include Danielle Williams, the 2015 World Champion, and Nia Ali, an Olympic silver medalist. Russell is a strong favorite, but Nugent’s 12.24 Jamaican national record and her 11.09 100m personal best make her a serious threat.

Men’s Short Hurdles (100m/100mH): In the men’s 110m hurdles, Sasha Zhoya is finally living up top his potential after ending last season on a high, but he will face tough competition from Omar McLeod, the 2016 Olympic champion. McLeod has the fastest personal best of the group, but he’s struggled to replicate that form in recent years. Zhoya, still in his prime at 22, may have the upper hand in this event.

Women’s Long Hurdles (400m/400mH): Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record holder and two-time Olympic champion in the 400m hurdles, is the clear favorite in this event. Her presence in Kingston will be highly anticipated. The big question is how fast she will go in her first race of the season. She will face tough competition from Rushell Clayton and Dalilah Muhammad, both of whom have proven themselves at the highest levels. But McLaughlin-Levrone’s dominance in this event makes her the one to beat.

Men’s Long Hurdles (400m/400mH): The men’s 400m hurdles will feature a battle between Alison Dos Santos, the Olympic bronze medalist, and rising star Roshawn Clarke. Dos Santos has been one of the best in the world for years, but Clarke, at just 20 years old, has the potential to disrupt the established order. With the absence of Rai Benjamin and Karsten Warholm from this event, it’s wide open for these two athletes to make their mark.

Women’s Short Distance (800m & 1500m): The women’s 800m and 1500m events are stacked with talent. Four of the top six finishers from the Olympic 1500m final are set to compete. Jess Hull, Nikki Hiltz, Diribe Welteji, and Mary Moraa all bring strong credentials to the table. Hull earned a bronze medal in the 3000m at the World Indoor Championships, while Hiltz swept the U.S. indoor 1500m and 3000m titles. Welteji ran a 3:58.89 in the 1500m in February, and Moraa, the World Champion and Olympic bronze medalist, is making her 1500m debut. Though she’s known for her dominance in the 800m, Moraa is eager to see how she fares in the longer distance.

The challengers include Susan Ejore-Sanders, with strong PBs in both the 800m (1:57.12) and 1500m (3:56.07), and Heather MacLean, another solid all-around athlete. Both could make an impact across the weekend.

Men’s Short Distance (800m & 1500m): The men’s short-distance races feature a stacked field, with three Olympic 1500m medalists and two of the top three 800m finishers. Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse, and Marco Arop are all in the mix. Hocker recently ran the second-fastest indoor 3000m in history and looks strong heading into this competition. Kerr had to pull out of the Millrose Games due to illness but has been training well. Nuguse, who set the indoor mile world record earlier this season, is also in great form. Arop, the Olympic silver medalist in the 800m, is aiming for a 1500m breakthrough.

The 1500m on day one will be crucial for Hocker, Kerr, and Nuguse, who will look to build a lead over the 800m specialists. Arop, who has shown interest in transitioning to the 1500m, will be one to watch.

Women’s Long Distance (3000m & 5000m): The women’s long-distance races will feature a mix of seasoned road racers and track specialists. Nozomi Tanaka, Tsige Gebreselama, Agnes Ngetich, and Elise Cranny will headline the 3000m and 5000m events. Cranny, fresh from the indoor season, will face tough conditions in Kingston, with temperatures expected to be in the high 80s. Ngetich is making her return to track racing after an impressive road season, which included breaking the 10K world record.

Ejgayehu Taye, who took sixth in the 5000m at the Paris Olympics, will be another athlete to watch in the 5000m. Hellen Ekalale, who has had success in the 10K, will also make her mark in these events.

Men’s Long Distance (5000m & 3000m): Grant Fisher is the top contender in the men’s long-distance events after shattering both the 3000m and 5000m indoor world records earlier this year. He’s strong tactically and has proven his ability to perform in challenging conditions. Fisher will face stiff competition from Hagos Gebrhiwet, who leads the 5000m rankings, and Ronald Kwemoi, who narrowly beat him for silver at the Paris Olympics.

Challengers like Cooper Teare, who has secured a 5000m World Championship standard, and Thierry Ndikumwenayo, a strong cross-country and road runner, will also be factors in the competition. Fisher’s focus will be on maintaining his momentum and securing a win in Kingston.

The Kingston track meet is shaping up to be an exciting weekend, with plenty of talent and potential for surprises in both the short and long-distance events.