Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone notch wins as Grand Slam Track makes debut

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Apr 05, 2025 1:23 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

Olympic champions Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stormed to triumph connected the archetypal time of the inaugural Grand Slam Track lawsuit successful Kingston, Jamaica connected Friday.

Three-time Olympic golden medallist Thomas beamed a large grin arsenic she broke the portion to triumph the 200 metres in 22.62 seconds and cod 12 points successful the circuit's archetypal ever race.

Thomas volition look to adhd to that tally erstwhile she competes successful Saturday's 400.

"I'm feeling bully and assured going into time but evidently determination are a mates dense hitters successful the 4th mile that I person to beat," she said.

WATCH l Thomas sprints to triumph successful 200m:

Fellow American McLaughlin-Levrone breezed to triumph successful the 400 hurdles, an lawsuit wherever she holds the satellite record, successful 52.76 seconds with the level 400 looming connected Sunday.

"Just shaking the cobwebs off," she said connected the Peacock broadcast.

"Obviously that archetypal 1 ever hurts but I'm blessed to beryllium here. Great experience."

All Grand Slam Track events volition beryllium streamed unrecorded connected CBCSports.ca and connected CBC Gem. For a afloat broadcast docket of athletics events this season, click here.

The four-time Olympic golden medallist said she appreciated the enthusiasm of the fans, who bushed drums and blew connected horns during the competition, though determination were besides plentifulness of bare seats astatine National Stadium.

"It gives you energy, you provender disconnected of it, and it helps you tally fast," she said.

Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye won the 3,000 and American Nikki Hiltz won the 800 to circular retired the 4 women's races of the day.

American Kenny Bednarek overcame a dilatory commencement to triumph the men's 100 successful 10.07 seconds, 0.01 up of Jamaican Oblique Seville.

"It's my archetypal clip being successful Jamaica and you tin decidedly perceive the crowd, they're electrifying," said Bednarek, who volition contention successful the 200 connected Saturday.

"My artifact starts person gotten a batch amended this twelvemonth but that contention didn't truly amusement it. I ended up struggling. But a triumph is simply a triumph and I'm blessed to beryllium here."

WATCH l Bednarek wins men's 100m:

In different men's events, American Christopher Bailey won the 400, Brazilian Alison dos Santos won the 400 hurdles and American Grant Fisher won the 5,000.

Quebec City's Charles Philibert-Thiboutot was past among the eighth finishers successful the 5,000.

Grand Slam Track has been billed arsenic the "Formula One of jock racing" by four-times Olympic golden medallist Michael Johnson, who is fronting the league.

A purse of $12.6 cardinal US is connected the array astatine the four-event Grand Slam, which volition clasp races successful Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles this year.

WATCH l Fisher prevails successful men's 5,000m: