Olympic champions Gabrielle Thomas and Kenny Bednarek win double prizes at Grand Slam Track meet
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Bahrain's Salwa Eid Naser (right) comes in first ahead of the United States' Gabby Thomas during the women's 400m event in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 5.
PHOTO: AFP
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KINGSTON – Olympic 200m champion Gabrielle Thomas was among the first big winners of the inaugural Grand Slam Track series on April 5, digging deep to finish second in the women’s 400m to clinch the US$100,000 (S$135,000) long sprints jackpot.
The American, who had stormed to a convincing victory in her specialist 200m event on April 4 at Kingston’s National Stadium, took second in 49.14sec behind Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, the 2019 world champion who finished in 48.67sec. Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic – the reigning Olympic 400m champion – was third in 49.35sec.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever been more tired in my life. I knew that was going to be one of the hardest races of my life just because of the talent in the field,” Thomas said.
Her combined results over the two races made her one of the four athletes racing in the three-day meet to win US$100,000 each for their performances over the first two days.
“I heard them saying on the home stretch ‘US$100k on the line’ and it really, really motivated me,” the 28-year-old said following her race.
Other athletes to hit the jackpot on April 5 included two-time Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, who completed a short sprint double with a convincing victory in the 200m after winning the 100m on April 4. The American stormed home in 20.07sec.
Britain’s Zharnel Hughes took second in 20.37sec, while 2022 100m world champion Fred Kerley of the United States was third in 20.39sec.
“I got to pick up the ultimate prize,” Bednarek said after his win. “Everybody’s getting paid and that’s what we need in this work, no matter what the competition.”
British 400m star Matthew Hudson-Smith claimed the US$100,000 prize in men’s long sprints with a 20.77sec 200m win after placing second in the 400m. “It’s great to win the first Grand Slam championship in Jamaica,” said the 30-year-old Olympic 400m silver medallist. Hudson-Smith plans to save his winnings as he nears the end of his career.
The other US$100,000 winner on April 5 was Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji, who followed her 800m second place with a 1,500m victory in 4min 4.51sec.
In a competitive day two race, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the Paris Olympic 800m champion, won the 1,500m in 3:35.18. US runner Yared Nuguse took second, 2024 Olympic champion Cole Hocker third, while 2023 world champion Josh Kerr finished fifth.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Tia Jones of the United States won in a world-leading 12.63sec, with Jamaica’s Danielle Williams second in 12.70sec and Puerto Rico’s 2020 Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn third in the same time.
The new circuit, spearheaded by four-time Olympic gold medallist and retired American sprinter Michael Johnson, launched its first of four meets this week, aiming to establish Grand Slam Track as the “Formula One of athlete racing”.
AFP, REUTERS
