TOPSHOT - US' Gabrielle Thomas celebrates with the US national flag after winning the women's 200m ... More
AFP via Getty ImagesThe wait is over for fans anticipating the beginning of Grand Slam Track. This new track league, founded by former 200-meter and 400-meter world record holder Michael Johnson, is a mix of almost everything fans and athletes have asked for: elite head-to-head matchups, large payouts, and fantasy race discussions brought to life.
The first Slam will take place April 4th-6th in Kingston, Jamaica, home to some of the most legendary track athletes to date, a few of whom will be in attendance this weekend. Jamaica is rich with track history and is an honorable country to start such a groundbreaking event. Spectators tuning in from home can stream on Peacock each day or watch live on The CW.
A full race schedule can be found on the Grand Slam Track website.This piece will serve as a guide detailing what you should know about the women competing this weekend for the $100,000 pri
How Grand Slam Track Works And The Historical Payout
British athlete Dina Asher-Smith of team Nike runs during a training session a day before the start ... More
AFP via Getty ImagesThe winner is determined by who is the best in both events, which is determined by an established point system. This means that if an athlete wins one race but places last in another, depending on how everyone else does, they may not be the winner of the Slam. The point system is designed to encourage daily storylines and bring out the best in each athlete in order to win.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Leads The Way In The Long Hurdles
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 08: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of Team United States crosses the finish line ... More
Getty ImagesThose who watch track regularly know that Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone rarely races in regular season meets and often only competes inside of the U.S. Fans are in for a treat this season as they get to see the six-time world record holder do away with her usual competition schedule plans.
This will be the first time since 2022 that McLaughlin-Levrone has done a regular season race outside of the country. In Kingston, she will be part of the long hurdle group, where she will race in the 400-meter hurdles and the 400-meter dash. She currently holds personal bests of 51.37 and 48.75, respectively. She comes into the field with the fastest times in both events.
Other notable names will be racing alongside McLaughlin-Levrone, such as Dalilah Muhammad, the former world record holder in the 400-meter hurdles. Muhammad and McLaughlin-Levrone had a fierce rivalry between 2019 and 2021. Almost every time these two legends raced each other, the world record fell. They worked together to pioneer what it currently means to be a 400-meter hurdler and took this event to new heights.
Muhammad announced in the press conference today that this would be her last season competing professionally. Before she ends her stellar career, fans can watch both of these women compete together at least one more time.
Rounding out field long hurdle field is Olympian and two-time world championship bronze medalist Rushell Clayton, world championship silver medalist Shiann Salmon, world championships finalist Adrenette Knight, and world championship bronze medalist Cassandra Tate.
Paris Olympic Podium Rematch In The Short Hurdles
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Gold medalist Masai Russell of Team United States (C), Silver medalist ... More
Getty ImagesThe most common comment about the women’s short hurdlers over the past few years is that they don’t duck each other during regular-season races. Track is known for meets that announce superstar lineups, with the headlining athletes dropping out as the competition dates inch closer. The women’s short hurdlers rarely have this problem.
Grand Slam Track is giving viewers the Paris Olympic podium matchup four times before they all battle for the title of world champion this fall. Masai Russell, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn will be the headliners this weekend.
One thing for new track enthusiasts to understand is that just because a short hurdler may be fast does not mean that speed necessarily translates in events without the hurdles. A frequent fantasy discussion among long-time track fans is which hurdlers would be good at the flat sprints. We will finally get the answers to some of those questions in Kingston.
Russell, the Olympic 100-meter hurdle champion, opened up her outdoor season at the Texas Relays this past Saturday. She competed in the 4x100-meter relay and the 100-meter dash, where she ran a wind-aided 11.16. Her wind-legal personal best is 11.52, which she ran in 2022. She also holds a personal best of 12.25 in the 100-meter hurdles.
Ackera Nugent is an athlete with a strong chance of shaking up the short hurdle category. Nugent is coming off a newly earned world indoor championship bronze medal, meaning she is in excellent shape to run well in the 100-meter hurdles. What makes her special is that while in the NCAA, Nugent frequently competed in the 100-meter hurdles and 100-meter dash, earning several All-American honors in both events. Her personal bests are 12.24 and 11.09, respectively.
This race category will also include rising star Olympian Denisha Cartwright, 18th-ranked best hurdler in the world Amber Hughes, and world champion and Olympic silver medalist Nia Ali.
Long Sprints Offers Unpredictable Competition
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 23: Marileidy Paulino of Team Dominican Republic celebrates winning the ... More
Getty Images for World AthleticsFans looking for races with the most unpredictable nature should look into the long sprints. Olympic gold medalist Marileidy Paulino and Olympic silver medalist Salwa Eid Naser will be lining up for an epic battle that is sure to leave viewers stunned by the results. Eid Naser is currently 0-8 in her 400-meter matchups with Paulino. However, this doesn’t mean that Eid Naser doesn’t have a chance to win this first Slam.
This past Saturday, the Olympic silver medalist put the entire world on notice with her performances. Eid Naser ran 48.94 for her 400-meter season opener, the fastest time any woman has ever run in the month of March. An hour later, she ran 22.45 in the 200-meter dash, which is now her personal best. Most importantly, Eid Naser is the third fastest woman in history over 400-meters. She holds a personal best of 48.14 in the 400-meters.
Paulino’s accomplishments speak for themselves as she was undefeated in 2024, earned her third major championship win in a row last season, and has won the Diamond League final three times. Paulino has made winning a habit, so she will be tough to take down in Kingston. Her personal best in the 400-meter and 200-meter are 48.17 and 22.36, respectively.
Although Paulino and Eid Naser will lead the charge in this category, the unpredictable nature comes from three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas. Thomas is as versatile as they come in the sprints. She runs 11.00 in the 100-meter dash, is the fourth fastest woman of all time in the 200-meter dash, and has a personal best of 49.68 in the 400-meter dash. She holds Olympic gold medals in the 4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay, and 200-meter dash. Thomas is fully capable of earning the $100,000 prize.
Former indoor American record holder Talitha Diggs adds another layer of excitement to this event. During her time as a Florida Gator, Diggs often ran in short sprints throughout the season in preparation for her 400-meter race. When she went to the NCAA national championships, she’d often compete in the 200-meter and 400-meter races. She’s known for her dedication to speedwork, so her talents should not be overlooked.
Joining these women in the competition are Jamaican national record holder and NCAA record holder Nickisha Pryce, three-time Olympic medalist Dina Asher-Smith-who typically only races in short sprints-and Olympic bronze medalist Stacey-Ann Williams.
More Matchups To Look Out For
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 10: Silver medalist Jessica Hull of Team Australia celebrates with Nikki ... More
Getty ImagesOutside of the aforementioned storylines, viewers can expect excitement in the short and long distances along with the short sprints. In the short distance category, 2000-meter world record holder and 1500-meter Olympic silver medalist Jessica Hull will battle 800-meter world champion Mary Moraa and 1500-meter American record holder Nikki Hiltz. Hull is also the second-fastest woman of all time in the 1500-meter race. Joining their clash will be two-time world championship silver medalist Diribe Welteji, Olympic finalist Susan Ejore-Sanders, world championship finalist Heather MacLean, and the 16th-best 800-meter runner in the world, Sage Hurta-Klecker.
The long-distance will feature even more notable names. Two-time world record holder Agnes Ngetich is set to compete alongside two-time world cross-country medalist Tsige Gebreselama, Olympic finalist Nozomi Tanaka, the 25th-best 10,000-meter runner in the world, world championship bronze medalist Emily Infield, two-time Olympian Elise Cranny, and world championship bronze medalist Ejgayehu Taye.
Short sprints will include two-time Olympic medalist Melissa Jefferson, Olympic silver medalist Daryll Neita, Olympic silver medalist and world champion Jenna Prandini, world champion Tamara Clark, world championship semi-finalist Jodean Williams, two-time U20 world champion and Olympian Alana Reid, and the second fastest NCAA 100-meter runner in history Jacious Sears.
Some notable scratches from the meet are Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Brown, Olympic gold medalist and mixed 4x400-meter relay world record holder Shamier Little, and Olympic finalist Jasmine Jones.
