KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – American sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Gabby Thomas cemented their dominance at the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet, each earning US $100,000 as Slam Champions after thrilling performances here on Saturday night at Jamaica’s National Stadium.
Bednarek, a two-time Olympic 200m silver medalist, solidified his status as the meet’s top male sprinter by winning the 200m in 20.07, well ahead of Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (20.37). His victory and Friday’s 100m win made him the first athlete to sweep the Men’s Short Sprints Race Group in Grand Slam history.
Bednarek was overjoyed that his dominant performances brought him the Slam championship title in Kingston. “I said I wanted to dominate, and that’s what I did. I came out and made 100K. I’m happy about that. This is a big moment, and this will change the sport. If we do our part, Grand Slam is going to do theirs. This is a life-changing moment.”
Reigning Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas faced a more challenging path, needing a personal best of 49.14 in the 400m, which was good for second place, to clinch the Women’s Long Sprints Race Group.
Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser won the race in a world-leading 48.67, but Thomas’s consistency, including her 200m victory on Friday, sealed the Slam title. “This was an important meeting for me. Grand Slam is huge in track and field, and I heard the announcer the entire way that the 100K was on the line, so I had to fight tooth and nail for that.”
Earlier in the evening, Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain and Diribe Welteji of Ethiopia became the first-ever Slam Champions in the new league founded by Olympic legend Michael Johnson.
Hudson-Smith edged Trinidad’s Jereem Richards after clocking 20.77 to Richards’ 20.81 in the 200m, securing the Men’s Long Sprints Race Group over the US’s Chris Bailey. Welteji won the Women’s Short Distance Race Group thanks to a 1500m victory in 4:04.51, narrowly outpacing America’s Nikki Hiltz.
Eight more Slam Champions are set to be named on Sunday’s final day.
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