Dina Asher-Smith, Georgia Hunter Bell and Laviai Nielsen join the likes of Josh Kerr, Matt Hudson-Smith and Zharnel Hughes in Pennsylvania
Grand Slam Track, founded by quadruple Olympic and eight-time world champion Michael Johnson, has announced their full-line up for their next meeting in Philadelphia (May 31 to June 1).
Not only does it feature a plethora of international stars but nine of Great Britain’s finest athletes – four Racers and five Challengers – will also grace the track at Franklin Field.
Zharnel Hughes is a Racer in the men’s Short Sprints group and he once again competes against Kenny Bednarek over 100m and 200m. Bednarek has picked up maximum points so far (48 – 24 for each meet) with wins overall in both Kingston and Miami. Hughes meanwhile placed second in Jamaica and third in Florida.
Even though Daryll Neita and Dina Asher-Smith both competed in Kingston, they ran in different groups, with Neita part of the women’s Short Sprints and Asher-Smith opting for the 200m/400m challenge in the Long Sprints.
However, in Philadelphia, the British sprinting duo will go head-to-head. With Neita placing fourth in the Olympic 100m final and Asher-Smith being the national 100m and 200m record-holder, it promises to be a pulsating battle. Both will be aiming to chase down Melissa Jefferson-Wooden who, like Bednarek, has picked up every single point on offer so far.
Matthew Hudson-Smith started Grand Slam Track with a bang with victory in the men’s Long Sprints in Kingston, following that up with a fifth place finish overall in Miami. The Olympic 400m silver medallist will take on the likes of Muzala Samukonga, Steven Gardiner and Miami champion Jereem Richards in Pennsylvania.
The Nielsen twins, Laviai and Lina, make their Grand Slam track debuts and compete in the women’s Long Sprints and Long Hurdles respectively. It will be Laviai Nielsen’s second 400m of the season after she clocked 52.02 at the Doha Diamond League and her first 200m since last March in Johannesburg.
With Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone swapping the Long Hurdles for the Short Hurdles, Lina Nielsen’s job is made slightly easier but the British indoor 600m record-holder still faces a quality field, which includes the likes of Shamier Little, Rushell Clayton and Jasmine Jones.
There’s also the enticing prospect of Josh Kerr going head-to-head against Elliot Giles over 800m/1500m in the men’s Short Distance, which will bring back memories of their collision at last year’s UK Athletics Championships.
In the 800m final, Kerr tried to pass Giles on the home straight but there wasn’t enough room on the inside of lane one. The pair clipped each other and crashed to the floor in Manchester. With Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Marco Arop, Hobbs Kessler, Josh Hoey and Samuel Chapple also in the field, expect fireworks in Pennsylvania.
Georgia Hunter Bell returns to the US for the first time since her victory in the Wanamaker Mile at February’s Millrose Games, with the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist aiming to replicate that success at Grand Slam Track. The Brit competes in the women’s Short Distance and faces the likes of Jess Hull and Nikki Hiltz, to name just a few.
Signed Racers Devon Allen, Masai Russell, Roshawn Clarke, Cyréna Samba-Mayela, Oblique Seville, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and Luis Grijalva will miss the Philadelphia Slam due to injuries. An additional Challenger has been added to each of their Race Groups as a result. Fred Kerley, who is also a Racer, is suspended pending the completion of legal proceedings and will not compete at the meeting.
“We couldn’t be more excited to announce the full field of competitors for the Philadelphia Slam,”said Johnson. “The racing at the Miami Slam was truly world-class, and we will have even more energy and entertainment for our third Slam. The spectators in the stands at Franklin Field, and all the fans watching from home, are going to see the fastest humans in the world taking our combat-style racing to the next level.”
These are the full line-ups (R = Racer and C = Challenger)
Men’s Short Sprints: Kenny Bednarek ®, Zharnel Hughes ®, Andre De Grasse ©, Christian Miller ©, Christian Coleman ©, Bryan Levell ©, Udodi Onwuzurike ©, Aaron Brown ©.
Women’s Short Sprints: Gabby Thomas ®, Brittany Brown ®, Daryll Neita ®, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden ®, Tamari Davis ©, Thelma Davies ©, Dina Asher-Smith ©, Jadyn Mays ©.
Men’s Long Sprints: Matthew Hudson-Smith ®, Muzala Samukonga ®, Steven Gardiner ®, Jereem Richards ®, Jevaughn Powell ©, Alexander Ogando ©, Khaleb McRae ©, Matthew Boling ©.
Women’s Long Sprints:, Nickisha Pryce ®, Alexis Holmes ®, Marileidy Paulino ®, Salwa Eid Naser ®, Isabella Whittaker ©, Laviai Nielsen ©, Jessika Gbai ©, Sharlene Mawdsley ©.
Men’s Short Hurdles: Freddie Crittenden ®, Sasha Zhoya ®, Daniel Roberts ®, Trey Cunningham ©, Jakub Szymański ©, Lorenzo Simonelli ©, Cordell Tinch ©, Jamal Britt ©.
Women’s Short Hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ®, Ackera Nugent ®, Danielle Williams ©, Ditaji Kambundji ©, Tia Jones ©, Christina Clemons ©, Tonea Marshall ©, Megan Tapper ©.
Men’s Long Hurdles: Alison dos Santos ®, Clément Ducos ®, Caleb Dean ®, Trevor Bassitt ©, Chris Robinson ©, CJ Allen ©, Assinie Wilson ©, Gerald Drummond ©.
Women’s Long Hurdles: Shamier Little ®, Rushell Clayton ®, Jasmine Jones ®, Lina Nielsen ©, Dalilah Muhammad ©, Ayomide Folorunso ©, Anna Cockrell ©, Andrenette Knight ©.
Men’s Short Distance: Cole Hocker ®, Josh Kerr ®, Yared Nuguse ®, Marco Arop ®, Hobbs Kessler ©, Josh Hoey ©, Elliot Giles ©, Samuel Chapple ©.
Women’s Short Distance: Jess Hull ®, Nikki Hiltz ®, Diribe Welteji ®, Mary Moraa ®, Georgia Hunter Bell ©, Nia Akins ©, Abbey Caldwell ©, Addy Wiley ©.
Men’s Long Distance: Grant Fisher ®, Ronald Kwemoi ®, Hagos Gebrhiwet ®, Graham Blanks ©, Nico Young ©, Ky Robinson ©, Edwin Kurgat ©, Andrew Coscoran ©.
Women’s Long Distance: Nozomi Tanaka ®, Tsige Gebreselama ®, Agnes Ngetich ®, Elise Cranny ®, Ejgayehu Taye ©, Weini Kelati ©, Medina Eisa ©, Josette Andrews ©.
