2 days Ago By The Independent
The first-ever Grand Slam Track meet gets underway this week, with dozens of world and Olympic medallists descending on Kingston, Jamaica for the start of a new track and field league - and a shot at $100,000. That’s the prize money on offer for the winners of each Category, with a total fund of $12.6m earmarked to those competing in each of the four Slams and as additional winnings based on how each athlete performs.
A starry field is lined up, including American hurdler and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Lavrone, 2024 Olympic gold medallists Quincy Hall, Cole Hocker , and Gabby Thomas , as well as Olympic silver medallists Kenny Bednarek and Daryll Neita, former 100m world champion Fred Kerley, and Paris 200m bronze medallist Brittany Brown. There’s plenty of British interest too. As well as Neita, four-time European champion Matthew Hudson-Smith , Olympic bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes , former 1,500m world champion Josh Kerr and newly-crowned indoor silver medallist over the same distance, Neil Gourley , will all take to the start line.
When is Grand Slam Track? The first meet will be held in Kingston, Jamaica, from Friday 4 April to Sunday 6 April. What is Grand Slam Track? The brainchild of four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson , Grand Slam Track is a new track league designed to promote the sport more heavily and boost the reach of athletics outside of Olympic years , as well as providing athletes with more regular opportunities to race. There are four track meets - four Slams - planned for 2025.
Racers who have been signed to the league, and who will appear at every race, compete against Challengers - emerging athletes competing for Racer spots for 2026 - in different event categories. Each category consisting of two disciplines, with the athletes going head-to-head across both. Points are distributed for every result and the athlete with the best combined placing of the two events per category will become the Slam champion.
The event categories include ‘Short Sprints’, where athletes will contest the 100m and 200m and accrue points in both, and ‘Long Distance’, the 3,000m and 5,000m, as well as categories for longer sprints, short and long hurdles, and short-distance running. A total of 96 athletes, 48 Racers and 48 Challengers, compete in each Grand Slam, with further meets in Miami (2-4 May), Philadelphia (30 May - 1 June), and Los Angeles (27-29 June). How can I watch Grand Slam Track? Viewers in the UK can stream the action live on TNT Sports.
You can purchase a TNT Sports subscription via discovery+ here , for only £30.99 per month. Categories Schedule All times BST Friday, 4 April Saturday 5 April Sunday 6 April Start lists.
