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The Grand Slam Track is all set to take center stage with its first meeting in Kingston, Jamaica. Scheduled from April 4-6 featuring 96 Racers and Challengers, the inaugural event will see the likes of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Josh Kerr, Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, Masai Russell, and Grant Fisher among others headlining the meet.
However, several track superstars have yet to commit to the meet. Let’s take a look at five big names who will be absent in Kingston.
5 athletes who will not compete in Grand Slam Track in Kingston
#5 Letsile Tebogo
Letsile Tebogo, the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year honoree, will not participate in the league’s inaugural event in Jamaica's capital. Tebogo rose to prominence after defeating Noah Lyles in the 200m final at the Paris Olympics by clinching his country Botswana's first-ever gold in the quadrennial games' history.
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#4 Jakob Ingebrigtsen
Jakob Ingebrigtsen is a notable absentee in the distance running events at the Grand Slam Track. While Ingebrigtsen’s rivals like Cole Hocker, Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse will all be in action in the short distance category (800m and 1500m), Ingebrigtsen has shown no interest thus far in joining the league.
The 2025 season has already witnessed the Norwegian achieve two indoor global titles in the 1500m and 3000m.
#3 Grant Holloway
Grant Holloway is another prominent athlete not listed among the 96 competitors in the Grand Slam Track Kingston meet. After winning his first Olympic gold in the 110m hurdles in Paris, Holloway has had a strong start to his 2025 season, remaining undefeated so far.
He earned his first major international title of the year by winning the 60m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships. With this, he also collected his third consecutive gold in the event, having previously won in 2022 and 2024.
#2 Sha'Carri Richardson
Sha'Carri Richardson will not be present in Kingston for the Grand Slam Track’s inaugural event. The American had an impressive season last year by winning the 100m Olympic trials and later winning the silver medal in Paris in the event. She was also instrumental in Team USA’s gold-medal victory as she anchored the team to first place.
#1 Noah Lyles
Noah Lyles is one of the biggest names who will not feature in the inaugural edition of the 2025 Grand Slam Track. Lyles, the reigning 100m champion, cited scheduling as a key reason for not competing in the Michael Johnson-founded league, which he revealed during the Beyond The Records podcast (episode 7).
He also found the Grand Slam Track's marketing confusing, with 100m and 200m under short sprints and 110m/100m hurdles grouped with 100m flat as short hurdles. Lyles has so far competed in two competitions in 2025 - New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and RADD Sports College Invitational and Multi-Event.
The 27-year-old also revealed that he has set his sights on achieving success at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, scheduled in Tokyo later this year.
