Grand Slam Track 2025 Kingston: Top athletes to watch out for ft Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas

The 2025 Grand Slam Track is all set for its inaugural edition in Kingston, Jamaica, where big names from all over the world will be taking on the track at the National Stadium from April 4 to April 6. A total of 96 athletes will make up the event’s start list, with 48 contracted racers and 48 challengers.

Instead of the regular league format, the Grand Slam Track features race groups, with each athlete participating in two races. The athlete who scores the most points from these two races within their group is declared the winner. With that, let’s take a look at the top athletes competing in the Kingston leg.

Top 5 athletes to watch out for at 2025 Grand Slam Track in Kingston

#5 Grant Fisher (Race Group: Men’s Long Distance - 3000m and 5000m)

Grant Fisher at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Grant Fisher will enter the event as one of the favorites to win in the men’s long-distance race group at the Grand Slam Track in Kingston. The two-time Olympic bronze medalist in the 5000m and 10,000m has an impressive record in the 3000m, as he is not only the world indoor record holder, but also the American record holder with a time of 7:22.91 achieved at this year’s Millrose Games.

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#4 Kenny Bednarek (Race Group: Men's Short Sprints - 100m and 200m)

Kenny Bednarek at Wanda Diamond League final (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Kenny Bednarek is another athlete to watch out for at the Grand Slack Track’s inaugural meet in Kingston. The American will be a strong favorite over the 200m distance, having won the Olympic silver and the Diamond League Final title last year. Additionally, the 26-year-old reached the 100m final at the Paris Olympics, where he finished seventh in a competitive race with a time of 9.88s.

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#3 Gabby Thomas (Race Group: Women's Long Sprints - 400m and 200m)

Gabby Thomas at Olympic Games Paris 2024. Source: Getty

Gabby Thomas is one of the major star attractions set to line up at the inaugural edition of the Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston. The Olympic 200m champion will compete in the long sprints group featuring in both her signature event and the 400m.

Thomas rose to fame after winning three gold medals at the Paris Olympics in the 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay in addition to her main event. The 28-year-old opened her season at the Texas Relays, running in both the 4x100m and 4x400m events, where her teams placed first and third.

However, Thomas is expected to face a strong challenge as her field arguably features one of the most stacked lineups in the meet with Marileidy Paulino, Salwa Eid Naser, Alexis Holmes, Dina Asher-Smith, and Talitha Diggs among the top contenders.

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#2 Daryll Neita (Race Group: Women's Short Sprints - 100m and 200m)

Daryll Neita at Paris Olympics- Source: Getty

Great Britain sprinting star Daryll Neita is another top competitor scheduled to race at the Kingston leg of the 2025 Grand Slam Track. Neita is one of the top names to watch out for, having advanced to the finals in both the 100m and 200m events at the Paris Olympics. There, she finished seventh in the 100m, while her performance in the 200m was also impressive, narrowly missing a medal with a fifth-place finish, clocking 22.23s.

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#1 Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Race Group: Women's Long Hurdles - 400m and 400m Hurdles)

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone at Wanda Diamond League 2024 Brussels - Source: Getty

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the biggest name headlining the Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston. The 400m hurdles world record holder is the favorite in her group, which includes both 400m and 400m hurdles disciplines.

Although McLaughlin-Levrone doesn’t often compete in the 400m, she ended her season last year with a remarkable 49.11s in the event at the Brussels Diamond League invitational race, making her one of the strongest competitors in the field.