The stage was set for greatness at Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track; fans were buzzing with excitement, a star-studded spectacle featuring Olympic champs like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas set to electrify Kingston. With 17 Jamaican stars like Oblique Seville and Danielle Williams also on the roster, the inaugural event promised a global showdown at the National Stadium. But could the hype match the reality of the crowd turnout?

The reality hit hard: the 35,000-seat National Stadium, fresh off a packed ISSA Champs the previous week, looked eerily quiet on opening day, with only 6,000 fans in attendance. Despite a 90% full grandstand, the bleachers sat nearly empty, a stark contrast to the 35,000 who roared for Champs. How would Grand Slam Track respond to this Day 1 disappointment?

Okay, track fans, here’s the scoop! The Grand Slam Track organizers are making a big move to get the next generation involved. The Inter Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) announced on April 5th that they’re opening up the bleachers for free to school students this weekend. The message sent to high school coaches reads: “All schools can attend the Grand Slam Meet free of cost tomorrow and Sunday for the Bleachers.”

That’s right, a fantastic opportunity for young fans to catch all the action! The ISSA’s message continued with the simple instruction, “Just turn up at the Bleachers and you will be allowed in.” Sounds like a great way to fill the stands and inspire the future of track and field! This hassle-free access could ignite Jamaica’s track passion, especially with young fans who idolize stars at Champs, potentially turning the event into a vibrant celebration.

The Inter Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) has confirmed that the organizers of Grand Slam Track have given the green light to allow schoolers to attend the event free of cost on Saturday and Sunday. Well, the event has roared back with a thrilling offer, but can this ignite Jamaica’s track passion? Will this fan-friendly decision turn the tide for Johnson’s vision, because the buzz has been quite loud on the action-packed Day 1? Well, what exactly transpired there on the track? Let’s dive in.

First Day Frenzy at the Grand Slam Track Meet

Day 1 of the inaugural Grand Slam Track (GST) meet in Kingston, Jamaica, kicked off with a bang on Friday, April 4, 2025, and man, did it deliver some jaw-dropping moments! The National Stadium might not have been packed to the rafters—although only about 6,000 fans showed up—but the energy was electric as the world’s top track stars threw down in this fresh, fast-paced format. Sunday, Day 1, set the tone with a mix of dominant wins and tight finishes that had fans buzzing.

The action started hot with Olympic champ Gabby Thomas flexing her speed in the women’s 200m long sprints, clocking a smooth 22.62 to take the win. She powered past Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who faded to third (22.96), while the Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino snagged silver in 22.93. No major upsets here—Thomas was the favorite and showed why she’s a gold-medal beast.

Then came Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record holder in the women’s 400m hurdles, who torched the field with a world-leading 52.76. She left old rival Dalilah Muhammad (54.59) and Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton (55.02) in the dust—nearly two seconds ahead! No surprises there; SML is just on another level. The men’s races brought some heat, too.

Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos held off Jamaica’s rising star Roshawn Clarke in the 400m hurdles, winning 47.61 to Clarke’s 48.20—a solid showing for the hometown kid, but no upset. The real shocker came in the women’s short distance 800m, where Nikki Hiltz of the USA edged out Ethiopia’s Deribi Welteji by a razor-thin 0.06 seconds, posting a personal best and world-leading 1:58.23.

Six of eight runners broke 2:00—talk about a stacked field! Grant Fisher capped the night with a blistering 51-second final lap to win the men’s 5000m in 14:39.14, leading a USA sweep with Cooper Teare (14:39.31) and Dylan Jacobs (14:39.56). Day 1 was a track fan’s dream—stars shone, records fell, and the stage is set for an epic weekend!