Sydney hits Grand Slam jackpot

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AFP) — Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone scooped the $100,000 top prize after cruising to victory in the 400-meter run to bring the curtain down on the inaugural Grand Slam Track meeting in Kingston on Sunday.

Two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion McLaughlin-Levrone coasted home in 50.32 seconds at the National Stadium to bag her second win of the three-day competition after an easy win in the hurdles on Friday.

McLaughlin-Levrone, 25, finished several meters clear of Andrenette Knight, who was second in 52.09 seconds with 2016 Olympic 400m hurdles champion Dalilah Muhammad third in 52.21 seconds.

The brainchild of US sprinting legend Michael Johnson, Grand Slam Track was launched in a bid to reinvigorate interest in athletics this year.

The women’s short hurdles, meanwhile, was won by Jamaica’s Danielle Williams, who followed up her second-place finish in the 100m hurdles with first in the 100m, winning in 11.54 seconds.

The four-meeting circuit will also feature events in Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

The competition format sees athletes race in two events over the duration of each three-day meeting, with the combined score from both races used to determine “Grand Slam” champions worth a lucrative $100,000 winner’s check.

McLaughlin-Levrone was one of several athletes to receive the top prize on Sunday.

Former 400m hurdles world champion Alison dos Santos bagged the long hurdles title after winning the flat 400m in 45.52 seconds.

In the men’s short hurdles category, France’s Sasha Zhoya, second in the 110m hurdles earlier in the competition, won the 100m in 10.55 seconds to take the combined title.

The women’s short hurdles, meanwhile, was won by Jamaica’s Danielle Williams, who followed up her second-place finish in the 100m hurdles with first in the 100m, winning in 11.54 seconds.

In the men’s short distance event, Kenya’s reigning Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi collected $100,000 after finishing the 800m behind Canada’s Marco Arop.

Wanyonyi’s second place finish was enough to secure a combined points tally of 20 following his upset win in the 1,500m on Saturday.

The women’s short sprints were won by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The 2024 Olympic 100m bronze medalist, who won the earlier 100m, completed her double with victory in the 200m in 23.46 seconds.