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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK I ≡
Day two of the debut meet of the new Grand Slam Track circuit at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica, with the first four “Slam” event groups to be decided.
A major feature of the program is the payout for each two-race event group, with each race scored 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group winning $262,500 for places 1-8: $100,000 – 50,000 – 30,000 – 25,000 – 20,000 – 15,000 – 12,500 – 10,000. Four events were decided on Saturday, with better attendance in the stands, and nice, 83 F weather when the meet kicked off at 5:42 p.m. local time.
Attendance was much better today, perhaps 10,000 in a 35,000-seat stadium, and with the usual Jamaican enthusiasm, who saw three (outdoor) world-leading marks:
● Women/400 m: 48.67, Salwa Eid Naser (BAH)
● Women/1,500 m: 4:04.51, Diribe Welteji (ETH)
● Women/100 m hurdles: 12.63, Tia Jones (USA)
The races:
● Men/110 m hurdles (short hurdles):
Jamaica’s two Olympic champs from Rio (Omar McLeod) and Tokyo (Hansle Parchment) were on the line, but it was Paris Olympic silver medalist Daniel Roberts of the U.S. got the best start. But he clobbered the second hurdle and countryman Dylan Beard, an Olympic Trials semifinalist in 2024, in lane two charged to the lead in mid-race and he held on to the line in 13.29, into a slight headwind of -0.5 m/s.
In the middle of the track, in lane six, France’s Sasha Zhoya, the 2024 Diamond League winner, closed well for second (13.34) in a blanket finish with Roberts (13.35) and fellow Americans Freddie Crittenden (13.36) and Cordell Tinch (13.38).
● Men/200 m (long sprints):
World Indoor champion Chris Bailey of the U.S. won the first-day 400 m in a world-leading 44.34, but hadn’t run this race in six years and started in lane seven. The start was even and everyone was in contention into the straight.
But it was Olympic 400 m silver winner Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) emerged in the final 15 m to edge Paris bronze winner Muzala Samukonga (ZAM) at the line, 20.77 to 20.81 into a stiff, 3.3 m/s headwind! Challenger Deandre Watkin (JAM) came up for third in 20.91, ahead of a good run for Vernon Norwood (USA) in 20.92, then Bailey in a lifetime best 20.93.
So, Hudson-Smith won the first event Slam and $100,000 with 20 points, to 16 for Bailey ($50,000) and 11 for Norwood ($30,000).
● Women/1,500 m (short distance):
American champ Nikki Hiltz won the 800 m on Friday in a surprise lifetime best of 1:58.23, and she and Olympic silver winner Jess Hull (AUS) were in the lead off the gun and Hull then picked it up and led with two laps to go. At the bell, Hull and World Indoor 1,500 m runner-up Diribe Welteji (ETH) were 1-2, and Welteji took the lead on the backstraight.
Into the final straight, Welteji led Hull and ran away for win for 4:04.51 – an outdoor world leader – with Kenya’s Olympic sixth-placer Susan Ejore passing Hull for second in the final 40 m (4:05.10), and Hiltz also got Hull at the line for third, 4:05.39 to 4:05.48.
Welteji won the Slam with 20 points, to 18 for Hiltz, 12 for Ejore and 11 for Hull.
● Women/100 m hurdles (short hurdles):
Two Olympic champions were on the line with Masai Russell of the U.S. from Paris and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) from Tokyo. But it was American Tia Jones, a late replacement challenger who was the 2024 U.S. indoor 60 m hurdles champ, got the best start and was never headed, winning by daylight in 12.63 (-1.4 m/s).
Camacho-Quinn came on in mid-race and battled with two-time World Champion Danielle Williams (JAM), with Williams getting second, with both in 12.70. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, the world leader in 2024, was fourth in 12.75 and Russell was sixth in 12.78.
Jones has been in the news for her break-up with Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy, who filed a domestic violence suit against her in Texas, with Jones filing for a protective order against Worthy. In the meantime, she leads the Short Hurdles Slam after race one.
● Women/100 m (short sprints):
Olympic bronze winner Melissa Jefferson of the U.S. was in lane five, and got off well and had control of the race, winning in 11.11 (wind: -0.6 m/s).
American Jenna Prandini, a very late replacement Challenger, came on in the latter half and was a clear second in 11.23, passing U.S. indoor runner-up Jacious Sears (11.25). British star Daryll Neita was fourth in 11.33.
Prandini, normally better in the 200 m, now is in position to win the Slam tomorrow!
● Men/1,500 m (short distance):
This was looked at as the race of the day, with Olympic champ Cole Hocker (USA) and 800 m winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) facing off, along with three more 800-1,500 medalists: Josh Kerr (GBR), Yared Nuguse of the U.S. and Canada’s Marco Arop.
Hocker and Nuguse led early, with the pack closely bunched, at 2:00.1 for 800 m. Nuguse took over, with Kerr following as they came to the bell, with Wanyonyi coming up for third at 1,200 m. Nuguse and Kerr led with 200 m left, but in the final straight, it was Nuguse in front, but with Wanyonyi moving best. And with 50 m to go, Wanyonyi was clear and won in an upset at 3:35.18, ahead of Nuguse and Hocker coming from fifth to third in 3:35.52. Britain’s Neil Gourley, the World 1,500 m runner-up, got past Kerr, 3:35.60 to 3:35.61.
A shocker for Wanyonyi and a huge lifetime best, having run 3:38.1 (hand) at altitude in mid-March. Terrific.
● Men/200 m (short sprints):
Any doubts about two-time Olympic silver winner Kenny Bednarek (USA), the winner of the 100 m, as the Slam winner?
None. Fellow American Fred Kerley, the 2022 World 100 m champ, burst out of the blocks and led around the turn, but Bednarek was in the lead into the straight and was an easy winner, easing into the tape in 20.07 (+0.2).
Britain’s Zharnel Hughes passed Kerley on the final straight for second, 20.37 to 20.39, with former two-time NCAA champ Joseph Fahnbulleh fourth in 20.42.
Bednarek won both leg of the Short Sprints Slam (24), followed by Hughes (14), then Jamaica’s Oblique Seville (12) and Kerley (8).
● Women/400 m (long sprints):
Olympic 200 m champ Gabby Thomas of the U.S. won the first race, but was also a key leg on the U.S. 4×400 m team in Paris, but what about Olympic 400 m champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM)?
Off the start, however, it was Bahrain’s Olympic silver winner Salwa Eid Naser – the world leader at 48.94 – zoomed off the start and made up the stagger on Thomas, one lane ahead of her, by 150 m. Around the turn, Naser and Paulino were 1-2 and Naser ran away to win in a world-leading 48.67.
But Thomas was glued to Paulino and ran her down in the final 30 m, 49.14 to 49.35, with American Alexis Holmes in 50.12. Thomas won the Slam with 20 points – and got a lifetime best in the 400 m. now no. 7 all-time U.S. – to 17 for Naser, then 14 for Paulino and eight for Holmes.
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Sunday’s final-day meet will start at 3 p.m. Eastern, on Peacock and The CW.
(Note to readers: Coverage of Sunday’s meet will be delayed for several hours due to a scheduling conflict. Please use this link for results.)
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