KINGSTON, JAMAICA, April 04 — With daytime temperatures pushing a humid 90 degrees (32C), thankfully the evening air softened conditions inside National Stadium, and the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet got underway in Kingston, Jamaica, precisely at 5:42 pm local time.
Despite sparse crowds the action on the track was highly entertaining, and the new professional league pulled off a tightly managed event without a hitch.
Gabby Thomas blew out of the blocks to win her specialty, celebrating wildly her 200 win in 22. 62 as she became the first Grand Slam event winner ever. She’ll have to come back in the 400 on Sunday in order to truly party as the scoring requires success in two events to claim the $100,000 prize, and Marileidy Paulino lays in wait.
Chris Bailey became the first Challenger to win a race as he continued his hot streak after an indoor season in which his World Indoor gold time led the world list. Here he captured the men’s 400 in a world-leading 44.34.
More excitement was had in a close women’s 800, where Nikki Hiltz just nudged Diribe Welteji for the win, another world leader in 1:58.23.
Then Grant Fisher found a way to turn back strong charges by Cooper Teare and Dylan Jacobs to take the 5000 in 14:39.14. The race was predictably a jogfest as all 8 were tightly packed with a lap to go, Fisher near the back, but closing in around 52 seconds.
“You saw a bunch of 5K guys trying to run a 100m there and got it done. I’m really happy with that. That’s one of the slowest 5Ks I’ve run in a while, but it was championship style. I need to kick if I want to do well at these meets and my kick’s there, so I’m really happy. We’re halfway home, you know. Gotta recover now, get ready for the next one. Thankfully that wasn’t too demanding of a race, physically just a hard 400 at the end. So get in the ice bath, get ready to go and we’ll see. Maybe some new tactics in the 3K. Maybe someone will try to push it this time.”
Other events went according to form. Alison dos Santos started slow but crushed the 400H field in the end (47.61 for the world lead), and, of course, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone found no challengers able to push her in the women’s long hurdles, racing to a world lead in 52.76, the fastest-ever in April.
“Just shaking the cobwebs off,” said McLaughlin-Levrone, business-like in her trackside interview with a flat 400 ahead of her two nights later. “Obviously that first one always hurts, but happy to be here. Great experience.”
Africans took the top 4 places in the women’s 3000, led by Ejgayehu Taye in 8:28.42. Elise Cranny and Emily Infeld looked tired from their 10,000s last weekend in California.
The first day concluded with the men’s 100 in the land where sprinting is king. Cheers were loudest during Oblique Seville’s introduction, but Kenny Bednarek took the victory over a solid field in 10.07, with Seville 0.01 back, racing into the wind.
While there is clearly room for improvement, Grand Slam Track is off and running. There was something for everyone: the purists could relish the head-to-head competition, the gamblers could play the odds, and casual fans could follow along very easily as the meet unfolded in a simple, straightforward way. Eight races, 8 racers in each, no prelims, with plenty of in-stadium announcing mixing with blaring music to keep the party atmosphere rolling. The meet never lagged and left no time to go for refreshments without missing something.
Day 1 was a big learning curve, but it appears Grand Slam Track has the beginnings of something they can build on. It’s ambitious, and they need to find a way to fill the grandstands, but as founder Michael Johnson pointed out it’s all about the racing, pure and simple.
Two more days remain to build drama on the track. How GST closes out the competition will matter. Hopefully they make a spectacle of showing us the money before they hand it to the race group winners. After all, that’s what everyone is here for.
DAY 1 MEN’S RESULTS
100(-1.3): 1. Kenny Bednarek (US) 10.07; 2. Oblique Seville (Jam) 10.08; 3. Zharnel Hughes (GB) 10.13; 4. Ackeem Blake (Jam) 10.13; 5. Courtney Lindsey (US) 10.25; 6. Terrence Jones (Bah) 10.26; 7. Fred Kerley (US) 10.30; 8. Joe Fahnbulleh (Lbr) 10.39.
400: 1. Chris Bailey (US) 44.34 (WL); 2. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GB) 44.65; 3. Vernon Norwood (US) 44.70; 4. Zandrion Barnes (Jam) 45.11; 5. Collen Kebinatshipi (Bot) 45.15; 6. Muzala Samukonga (Zam) 45.27; 7. Jereem Richards (Tri) 45.35; 8. Deandre Watkin (Jam) 45.45.
5000: 1. Grant Fisher (US) 14:39.14; 2. Cooper Teare (US) 14:39.31; 3. Dylan Jacobs (US) 14:39.56; 4. Hagos Gebrhiwet (Eth) 14:40.20; 5. Ronald Kwemoi (Ken) 14:40.64; 6. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spa) 14:41.23; 7. Telahun Haile (Eth) 14:42.20; 8. Charles Philibert-Thiboutot (Can) 14:44.30.
400H: 1. Alison dos Santos (Bra) 47.61 (WL); 2. Roshawn Clarke (Jam) 48.20; 3. Caleb Dean (US) 48.58; 4. Malik James-King (Jam) 48.69; 5. CJ Allen (US) 48.71; 6. Chris Robinson (US) 49.21; 7. Assinie Wilson (Jam) 53.24; 8. Clement Ducos (Fra) 54.73.
DAY 1 WOMEN’S RESULTS
200(-0.2): 1. Gabby Thomas (US) 22.62; 2. Marileidy Paulino (DR) 22.93; 3. Dina Asher-Smith (GB) 22.96; 4. Salwa Eid Naser (Bhr) 22.99; 5. Talitha Diggs (US) 23.30; 6. Alexis Holmes (US) 23.33; 7. Stacey-Ann Williams (Jam) 23.35; 8. Nickisha Pryce (Jam) 23.75.
800: 1. Nikki Hiltz (US) 1:58.23 PR (WL); 2. Diribe Welteji (Eth) 1:58.29; 3. Jessica Hull (Aus) 1:58.58 PR; 4. Sage Hurta-Klecker (US) 1:59.26; 5. Susan Ejore-Sanders (Ken) 1:59.26; 6. Natoya Goule-Toppin (Jam) 1:59.78; 7. Heather MacLean (US) 2:00.71; 8. Mary Moraa (Ken) 2:00.97.
3000: 1. Ejgayehu Taye (Eth) 8:28.42; 2. Agnes Ngetich (Ken) 8:28.75 PR; 3. Tsige Gebreselama (Eth) 8:38.15; 4. Helen Lobun (Ken) 8:42.51; 5. Whittni Morgan (US) 8:43.35 PR; 6. Elise Cranny (US) 8:44.03; 7. Nozomi Tanaka (Jpn) 8:49.10; 8. Emily Infeld (US) 8:56.66.
400H: 1. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (US) 52.76 (WL); 2. Dalilah Muhammad (US) 54.59; 3. Rushell Clayton (Jam) 55.02; 4. Andrenette Knight (Jam) 55.06; 5. Cathelijn Peeters (Neth) 55.85; 6. Shiann Salmon (Jam) 55.89; 7. Cassandra Tate (US) 56.65.
