Retired American track star Justin Gatlin shares lens time with fans on the opening day of the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on Friday, April 5, 2025. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)
April 5, 2025
Bleachers free for schoolers at Grand Slam Track meet
The Inter Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) has confirmed that the organisers of Grand Slam Track have given the green light to allow schoolers to attend the event free of cost on Saturday and Sunday.
The inaugural Grand Slam started on Friday in front of a sparse crowd at the National Stadium in Kingston. Although the Grandstand area was 90 per cent filled to capacity, the Bleachers section was mostly empty. Approximately 6,000 fans turned out at the stadium, which was filled to the 35,000 capacity last Saturday for the ISSA Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.
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ISSA sent out the message to the high school coaches on Friday night.
“All schools can attend the Grand Slam Meet free of cost tomorrow and Sunday for the Bleachers,” it said.
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“Just turn up at the Bleachers and you will be allowed in,” the brief message continued.
The first day of action at the Kingston Slam saw American Gabby Thomas winning the first race in the new racing league, capturing the women’s 200m in 22.62.
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American world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the women’s 400m hurdles in a world-leading 52.76, winning the race by nearly two seconds. Dalilah Muhammad was second in 54.59 while Jamaicans Rushell Clayton and Andrenette Knight were third and fourth in 55.02 and 66.06 respectively.
Jamaica’s rising star Roshawn Clarke was second in the Men’s 400m hurdles in 48.20 behind Brazilian winner Alison Dos Santos in 47.61.
Nikki Hiltz of the USA set a new personal best and a world-leading time in the Women’s Short Distance 800 Meters in 1:58.23. She edged out Deribi Welteji by .06 seconds in what was a thrilling finish that saw six of the eight runners in the field break 2:00. Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin was sixth with 1:59.78 which was her season’s best.
The compact night of events saw American Kenny Bednarek close the curtain by capturing the Men’s Short Sprints 100m in 10.07, just ahead of Jamaica’s Oblique Seville who stopped the clock at 10.08. Jamaica-based Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain was third in 10.13 ahead of Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake who was fourth with 10.26.
