Gabby Thomas claims victory at inaugural Grand Slam Track event

On April 5, 2025, the inaugural Grand Slam Track event kicked off in Kingston, Jamaica. Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas made a striking debut, claiming the top spot in the 200m race with a time of 22.62 seconds. She finished ahead of Marileidy Paulino and Britain's Dina Asher-Smith, both clocking in at 22.96 seconds. Gabby expressed her excitement about the competitive atmosphere of the event, noting the high stakes due to the significant prize money on offer. The event featured several other remarkable performances, including the dominance of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who won the women's 400m hurdles and showed her prowess in this discipline after returning from an Olympic victory in Paris. She completed the race in 52.76 seconds, leaving Dalilah Muhammad trailing in second. McLaughlin-Levrone is also slated to compete in the 400m on the weekend, intensifying the competition within the event. In the men's sprinting category, two-time Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek emerged victorious in a thrilling 100m race, narrowly beating Jamaica's Oblique Seville. This race was particularly exciting as Olympic champion Noah Lyles was absent, raising the stakes for the remaining competitors. Matthew Hudson-Smith, another notable athlete, faced a surprising defeat in the 400m, finishing behind newly crowned world indoor champion Chris Bailey. Additional highlights included a stunning performance in the women’s 800m, where American 1,500m specialist Nikki Hiltz claimed victory with a time of 1:58.23, while reigning world champion Mary Moraa finished last. Despite featuring top competitors, the event attracted a sparse crowd, which raises questions about future attendance at subsequent legs of the Grand Slam Track series, planned to take place in Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles before the end of June.