Track and field fans, get ready! The much-anticipated Grand Slam Track is just around the corner, and the track and field community is about to witness something that has never happened before. The anticipation is electric with the world’s fastest and fiercest athletes set to take center stage. Records could be smashed, the contentious relationships between rivals could be made even more unbearable, and the new breed of young and talented sprinters might take the world by storm but there is yet another factor, besides the struggle for victory, that makes this event quite unique—how it’s brought to life for fans watching around the globe.

The excitement in the air, the tension before the gun, and the roar of the crowd, all amplified by the voices that guide us through it. And in the midst of all the announcements and planning of the Grand Slam Track, Michael Johnson has announced the broadcast and in-stadium talent for its debut season, with Jamaicans Trishana McGowan and Donald Smith among the prominent voices expected to improve the spectator experience at the first leg, the Kingston Slam, slated for April 4-6 at the National Stadium in Kingston.

As per Sportsmax, founder and key member of Grand Slam Track, Michael Johnson said, “I am thrilled to unveil our first-class broadcast team for our inaugural season.” He further added, “These are individuals I know from my work within the media industry, and I feel very confident these are the best people out there to tell our stories to fans around the world. We can’t wait to finally get racing, and this lineup of talent ensures GST will bring audiences along with us for our festivals of speed.” Not to mention, Grand Slam Track will be shown in 189 nations and territories across the world, providing a global audience with top-notch commentary and analysis.

Who is Trishana C. McGowan?

Trishana C. McGowan is one of the commentators of Grand Slam Track and is an award-winning Jamaican sports journalist and former athlete. With Grand Slam Track kicking off soon, she is now committed to giving behind-the-scenes access to the world of track and field through her storytelling approach and will demonstrate her many years of experience with sports media and broadcasting. But what about her athletic journey?

Well, McGowan’s journey as an athlete started early; she raced the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay during her time at St. Andrew High School, and not only did she race, but she won as well. Yes, you read that correctly. The Grand Slam Track commentator also competed for Jamaica in a number of competitions, including the 2004 World Junior Championships in Grosseto, the Carifta Games, winning gold in the hurdles, and the CAC Games, winning gold in the hurdles and 4x400m relay. Though she later retired from competitive sports, the sportsperson in her is still intact. That’s why she transitioned into sports journalism and used her athletic experience to provide insightful coverage. Is that it about the talented Trishana C. McGowan?

Absolutely not! McGowan, the sports reporter and producer, has been active at some media agencies, the RJRGleaner Group among them. While working there, she was the one who co-hosted Jamaica’s first all-woman sports talk radio show—the “Girls Sports Club” on Hitz 92 FM. And her contributions don’t end there: McGowan started her own YouTube channel, where she shares interviews and stories related to sports, and she has always been a supporter of female athletes. And if that wasn’t enough, she was also named the 2020 PAJ Sports Journalist of the Year. And now, the audience of GST will get to experience her storytelling skills. But she won’t be doing it alone.

Who is Donald Smith?

Donald Smith, a Jamaican track and field announcer, has become a key voice in global athletics while juggling his career as a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). His journey began in 2010 at a college meet in Jamaica, where he quickly transitioned from field marshal to announcer, discovering his natural talent behind the microphone. Since then, Smith has hit many major milestones, including announcing at the 2024 Paris Olympics and becoming the first Jamaican selected by World Athletics for the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. And now becoming one of the voices at Grand Slam Track. His insights extend beyond the booth, as he’s also been part of key discussions analyzing track and field seasons.

If sports weren’t enough for him, Smith is also a drummer! Donald Smith’s journey into stadium announcing began after that fateful transition in 2010. But how did the real journey begin? As per World Athletics, in 2018 Smith shared, “In my spare time, if anyone listened, I’d just be practicing commentary, whether track and field, football, cricket. That was just fun for me.” He further added, “It was something I wanted to do, something that I loved, so eventually I thought an opportunity would come.” And boy, did the opportunities come! It was July 2018 when everything changed for him on one ordinary morning.

Donald Smith, who was working for an accountancy firm as an information systems auditor, was bombarded with notifications. But why? Well, his friends had tagged him in a tweet that was inviting entries for the IAAF’s announcer competition for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, 2018. Would his prayers, wishes, and thoughts pay off?

But let’s backtrack a little. Having first been seen in a prep school event, Smith was soon the one behind the microphone at Champs, the most important inter-school meeting in world sport. Following that, his gigs included many big Jamaican events, like the Kingston World Challenge, Racers Grand Prix, and the senior and junior national championships. But what about IAAF? Did that land for him? Well, the answer is a big YES.

Smith’s breakthrough opportunity came via the IAAF competition, which required participants to commentate on either Felix Sanchez’s gold medal run at the London 2012 Olympics or Fabian Murer’s world title-winning clearance in Daegu in 2011. Smith chose Sanchez, and the rest is history, as his years of experience and track and field obsession came in clutch at the perfect moment.

But who inspired Donald Smith? As the man himself put it, “Steve Cram is one [hero].”  Who else? He added, “Katherine Merry, I love her voice. In Jamaica we have Bobby Fray—his brother is an Olympian from the 60s, Michael Fray. I like their voices and how they capture the audience. It can be on TV, and I’ll be in another room—or I’ll be listening on the radio—and they’ll still capture what is happening. That is what I try to do. Hopefully I’m on the right track.”

And now, he will be the commentator of the highly anticipated track and field event of this year’s Grand Slam Track by Michael Johnson. Are you excited for the first-ever league of this sort? Because we surely are.