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≡ GRAND SLAM TRACK ≡
Chapter three of the first season of the Grand Slam Track circuit was in Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, the first time for a two-day, 11-race format, with some sunshine, breeze and 72-degree (F) temperatures that turned into a modest drizzle halfway through, with temps dropping to the mid-60s.
The reasonable weather and the compact schedule helped with attendance, which was full on the lower level along the home straight, with the lower backstraight filling up a bit during the meet, so perhaps 18,000 or so in the house, easily the best yet for a Grand Slam Track meet. That’s very, very encouraging.
The focus was on, as usual, 400 m hurdles superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who moved down to the short hurdles. But the one world-lead (equaling) performance in the distances:
● Women/1,500 m: 3:58.04 (equals outdoor world lead), Diribe Welteji (ETH)
The races:
● Women/400 m hurdles: (long hurdles)
This race did not have McLaughlin-Levrone for the first time in the three meets, with Rio 2016 Olympic champ Dalilah Muhammad strong down the backstraight, as was Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton. Around the turn, it was Olympic bronzer Anna Cockrell who came on and ran away from the field down the straight in 54.04, followed by Olympic fourth-placer Jasmine Jones of the U.S. (54.65), then Andrenette Knight (JAM: 54.86) and Muhammad (54.88).
● Men/400 m hurdles: (long hurdles)
Brazil’s 2022 World Champion Alison dos Santos had won all four races in this event group so far. He clubbed the first hurdle and didn’t develop his usual momentum down the back straight.
Instead, former NCAA champ Chris Robinson was strong into the second turn, when he was passed by 2022 Worlds medalist Trevor Bassitt, with dos Santos coming in. The Brazilian hit the gas off the eighth hurdle and took over on hurdle nine and was a clear winner in 48.11, his most difficult race in the series so far. But also his fifth win in a row, without a loss.
Bassitt held on for second in a seasonal best of 48.25 (now nol. 7 in 2025), with Robinson trailing home in third in 48.76.
● Men/800 m: (short distance)
This was the first time the 800 m had come first in a Slam, with Olympic silver winner Marco Arop (CAN) the obvious favorite, along with World Indoor champ Josh Hoey of the U.S.
Arop got to the lead, with Hoey right on his shoulder as they passed in 52.05. Arop was pushing down the back straight and was giving everything trouble and he ran away with only Hoey anywhere else, winning in a seasonal best of 1:43.38! Hoey was an easy second in 1:44.41 and then U.S. 1,500 star Yared Nuguse overtook Olympic teammate Hobbs Kessler in the final 50 m for third. 1:45.36 to 1:45.60.
● Men/200 m: (short sprints)
American Olympic silver medalist “Kung Fu” Kenny Bednarek dominated the 200s in the first two Slams, and out of lane seven, it was no contest … again.
He got to the lead from the gun and gapped the field within 50 m and was in complete control into the straight, winning easily in 19.93 (wind: 0.0). Britain’s Zharnel Hughes was a distant second in 20.50, with Canada’s Aaron Brown also in 20.50 in third. Wow.
That’s five wins in a row for Bednarek in the short sprints; he celebrated by throwing some souvenir headbands into the stands!
● Women/200 m: (short sprints)
Olympic champ Gabby Thomas of the U.S. won her 200 m races in both Kingston and Miramar and was back in the short sprints in Philadelphia.
A drizzle came in, but off the gun, it was two-time Slam short-sprints winner Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the U.S. in lane seven who blasted away and had the lead over Thomas, in lane six. But Thomas was pushing on the straight, but came up short, 21.99 to 22.10 (+1.1). Tamari Davis of the U.S. ended up third in 22.59.
With her most explosive start in the three Slams, Jefferson-Wooden is now poised to win her third short-sprints Slam in a row with her better event, the 100 m tomorrow.
● Women/3,000 m: (long distance)
Because of the compression of the schedule to two days instead of three, the long-distance Slam was held with one race instead of two (with halved prize money, of course).
Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich was second in Kingston and third in Miramar, and took the lead right away, ahead of Josette Andrews of the U.S. and then Kingston distance Slam winner Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) came up for second.
The pace continued slow and no one could move Ngetich out. With 600 m to go, Andrews came up and at the bell, Ngetich and Andrews were together with Taye third and six in contention. On the backstraight, Andrews tried to take the lead – no – and then Ngetich held off Taye into the turn.
Onto the straight, they were hip to hip and Ngetich would not be denied, getting to the line in 8:43.61 with Taye at 8:43.70, with a 61.54 final 400 (!). Andrews got third in 8:44.70 and American Weini Kelati fourth in 8:45.31. The moral of this story is not to underestimate Ngetich’s speed, despite her long-distance credentials.
● Women/400 m: (long sprints)
Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser got the world lead in Kingston, but Olympic champ Marileidy Paulino (DOM) was looking for a second straight Slam win. Off the gun, American Alexis Holmes had the lead out of lane eight, but with Paulino following in seven.
Around the turn, Paulino had the lead, but now Naser – in six – was coming up to challenge. Naser got close into the straight, but moved into lane five – she was eventually disqualified – but could not cut into Paulino’s lead.
Paulino held on and won in a seasonal best of 49.12 – now no. 2 worldwide – with Naser at 49.47 (before the disqualification) and Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce coming up for third (second) in 50.04. Bella Whittaker (USA: 50.16) was third and Holmes faded to fifth (fourth) in 51.02.
● Men/400 m: (long sprints)
Olympic silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) started in lane seven, but was challenged immediately by 2022 World Indoor champ Jereem Richards (TTO).
Richards got to the lead by 150 m and into the turn, and then it was a one-on-one duel with Richards into the straight, But Hudson-Smith strength got him to a clear lead with 75 m to go and he crossed first at 44.51.
Meanwhile, American Khaleb McRae was flying on the straight in lane two and passed Richards right before the line, 45.04 to 45.05 for second. Zambia’s Olympic bronze winner Muzala Samukonga came up for fourth in 45.10. It was Hudson-Smith first Slam win in the 400, after second in Kingston and third in Miramar.
● Women/1,500 m: (short distances)
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji – the 1,500 winner in Kingston – took the lead, ahead of Olympic silver medalist Jess Hull (AUS) in second. Hull took over with two laps to go as the strong pace got rid of the 800 m specialists. Hull had the lead over Welteji at the bell, who broke away from the field.
They were a stride apart with 200 m to go, but Welteji moved past with 60 m left and won by a meter in 3:58.04 to equal the world lead for 2025. Hull was second in 3:58.36 for a seasonal best, now no. 4 in the world for 2025. Welteji won her second Slam 1,500 m, also in Kingston.
American star Nikki Hiltz led the chase pack in third in 4:00.54, with Georgia Hunter-Bell (GBR) fourth in 4:00.85.
● Men/110 m hurdles: (short hurdles)
World leader Cordell Tinch (12.87) was the focus, after a fifth in the Kingston Slam. But it was Olympic silver winner Daniel Roberts got out best in five, but Tinch and 2022 Worlds silver medalist Trey Cunningham took over in the middle of the race.
Tinch moved ahead slightly and appeared to have the lead, but no one was watching Jamal Britt – the Miramar Slam winner – in lane two. He moved up steadily in mid-race and as Tinch got clear of Cunningham in the middle of the track, there was Britt leaning hard and taking the race in 13.08 (+0.7)! That’s just 0.01 of his all-time best from 2024.
Tinch was a clear second in 13.10, then Cunningham in 13.18 and Roberts in 13.30.
● Women/100 m hurdles: (short hurdles)
McLaughlin-Levrone was in lane four, but a decided underdog. Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent, the world leader in 2024, got a fine start and made no mistakes on the way to a clear, 12.44 win (-0.4).
Tia Jones, second in the Miramar Slam in 12.29, ran smoothly in second in 12.60, with Jamaican Megan Tapper in 12.66. McLaughlin-Levrone finished fifth in 12.70, her second-fastest 100 m hurdles ever and only 5/100ths behind her best ever.
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Scoring in each event group (two races) is 12-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 and the placers in each group will win $100,000-50,000-30,000-25,000-20,000-15,000-12,500-10,000.
The Grand Slam Track announce team got its third men’s analyst in three meets, as Kyle Merber, the Grand Slam Track director of athletes and racing, joined host John Anderson and lead analyst Sanya Richards-Ross. Rio 2016 men’s 1,500 m winner Matthew Centrowitz was in Kingston and Citius Magazine founder Chris Chavez was in Miramar.
With 11 races instead of eight, there was a lot less talking between events and more attention to the races themselves, another improvement in the best day of the Slam series so far.
Sunday’s meet starts at 3:41 p.m. Eastern time, shown on both The CW and NBC’s Peacock streaming service.
On Saturday’s telecast, the schedule for the final Slam at UCLA’s Drake Stadium was confirmed for two days (also down from three), on 28-29 June.
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