The Grand Slam Track Series roared to a dramatic finish at the iconic Franklin Field on Sunday, delivering a festival of speed, resilience, and redemption before the largest crowd in series history.
In a program compressed from three days to two, athletes responded with fire, producing world-leading marks and personal breakthroughs in front of a rapturous Philadelphia audience.
Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek ignite the straightaway with global-leading wins
In the final explosive moments of Grand Slam Track Philadelphia, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek etched their names atop the global rankings—and into the history books.
Jefferson-Wooden, fresh off a personal best in the 200m just one day prior, erupted from the blocks and never looked back, clocking a wind-legal 10.73 seconds. The blazing run not only earned her a commanding victory over Tamari Davis (11.03) but also made her the 10th-fastest woman in history over 100 meters.
“I actually knew before the gun the potential that I had for it to be something special,” said Jefferson-Wooden, who now leads the Racer of the Year standings. “You don’t have time to think about anything else. Just do what you’ve been doing.”
Minutes later, Bednarek, undefeated across all six Slam races this year, shook off a slow start to surge away from a stacked field, stopping the clock at 9.86 seconds—a personal best and another world lead.
“Grand Slam, I think, is kind of built for me,” said Bednarek. “I really need experience in the 100 meters and Grand Slam gave me the opportunity to do that.”
A championship without a win: Jasmine Jones’ quiet domination
Jasmine Jones made history of a different kind. Without winning a single race, Jones secured the Women’s Long Hurdles Slam title—the first athlete ever to do so. Returning from injury and making her outdoor season debut, Jones placed second in both the 400m hurdles and 400m, narrowly edging out event winners Anna Cockrell and Lina Nielsen in the points standings.
“I know I was coming into this a little nervous. I wasn’t sure where I was at this season,” said Jones. “Getting on here and finally feeling healthy was a huge confidence boost and a huge win for me.”
Nugent holds off McLaughlin-Levrone in Short Hurdles showdown
Despite the formidable presence of Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Ackera Nugent showed no fear—and no flaws. With her second consecutive Slam title in the Women’s Short Hurdles, Nugent’s 11.11-second finish was enough to narrowly defeat McLaughlin-Levrone in her first professional 100m hurdles appearance.
“My personality was able to be shown out there from Grand Slam,” Nugent shared. “I was able to get some practice in… and it shows in both Slams.”
McLaughlin-Levrone, who usually commands the 400m and 400m hurdles, embraced the challenge of the unfamiliar sprint distance.
“There’s just so much around the unknown that can make you nervous,” she said. “Pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do those kinds of things—that’s part of the challenge.”
Britt’s breakthrough: $100K and a career-changing weekend
The Men’s Short Hurdles produced its third different champion in three meets, with Jamal Britt storming to the top. After winning the 110m hurdles and finishing second in the 100m sprint behind Trey Cunningham, Britt clinched the title—and a game-changing $100,000 prize.
“100k is a pretty nice contract. It’s like a shoe contract,” said Britt, who remains unsponsored. “I got that just from running in the races and it’s more than what I made in my entire life.”
Upsets and redemption in the Long Hurdles and distance divisions
Alison dos Santos’ unbeaten run came to an end as he settled for third in the 400m, opening the door for Trevor Bassitt to claim the Men’s Long Hurdles title. Bassitt, a 2022 World bronze medalist, was confident in his statement win.
“I think I’m one of the best there is any given day,” said Bassitt. “If I fully have faith and I run my race, I think I can compete with any of them.”
In the Men’s Short Distance group, Marco Arop finally unlocked the 1500m. Despite finishing fourth in the race, his personal best of 3:35.38 minutes, combined with his earlier 800m win, secured him the Slam title.
“It was a long time coming,” said Arop. “That 1500 is getting closer and closer to where I wanted to be.”
Hudson-Smith bounces back; Paulino unstoppable in the Long Sprints
After a rough outing in Miami, Matthew Hudson-Smith rebounded in Philadelphia, winning the Men’s Long Sprints Race Group with a gritty 400m performance and enough points to overcome a sluggish 200m.
“The main goal was to finish healthy, and that’s all that mattered,” said Hudson-Smith.
Meanwhile, Marileidy Paulino continued her reign, winning both the 200m and 400m in decisive fashion and locking up her second Slam Championship.
Facility records, first-time winners, and electric finishes
Ethiopian middle-distance star Diribe Welteji returned to form with a razor-thin win over Georgia Hunter Bell in the 800m. Her time of 1:58.94 minutes set a new Franklin Field facility record.
In the 3000m, debutant Nico Young delivered fireworks with a blistering final lap, clocking 8:01.03 minutes to outkick Sam Gilman and secure the Slam title in the Men’s Long Distance group.
“The track is super fast,” said Young. “I was in a weird spot with 100 meters to go, but I stayed ahead, and that’s good.”
Two days, one vision: Grand Slam format evolves for fans and athletes
The Philadelphia leg marked a pivotal change: a tighter two-day format shaped by athlete and fan feedback. The result? An electric atmosphere, record ticket sales, and a crowd that matched the intensity on the track.
“We’ve got everything that we could have hoped for out of this weekend,” said Grand Slam Track Founder and Commissioner Michael Johnson. “Compacting things into two days… worked much better. We’re just going to continue to improve.”
