The 2025 New Balance Boston Grand Prix is right around the corner, and the anticipation is building. However, it is not just the event itself causing the stir. Some old challenges and bold claims have resurfaced! Remember when Matt Hudson-Smith, after his 400m silver at the Paris Olympics, went on to say that he was coming for Letsile Tebogo’s 300m world record?

While the British sprinter called out the big names of track in style, now the time has come to sprint the talk! As the New Balance Boston Grand Prix approaches, Matt Hudson’s words, “I want to do a USA versus Great Britain…Let’s put Tebogo in there… he’s the world record holder,” echoes louder than ever. And just in case Hudson had forgotten his words, the track community hasn’t. In fact, neither have track stars!

Much like a well-timed reminder, 400m sprinter Vernon Norwood took to X and wrote, “You was yappin’ all last year bout 300m, pull up Boston @mattonthefloor.” Whoops! Seems like Matt Hudson-Smith has no escape from this one. Responding to the same, Matt went on to write, “😂😂😂 talk to your people. New Balance has Ricky’s number.” Things have started to heat up; however, the real surprise came when Letsile Tebogo retweeted Norwood’s tweet!

Is Letsile Tebogo accepting the challenge?

It was not long ago that Letsile Tebogo took it to X to announce his return. He went on to write, “Go to war with your limits every damn day.” Well, the reply to Vernon Norwood’s tweet might just be him pushing that limit. So what exactly did his retweet say? Well, it was a very simple one, and it read, “It’s time.” So what does “It’s time” mean for Tebogo?

Well, let’s break it down a bit. Despite being just 21 years old, Tebogo has taken down the big names of track and field. The 2024 Paris Olympics 200m Gold was perhaps the best example of his versatility as a track star. However, as Matt Hudson-Smith pointed out, Tebogo is the world record holder in the 300m. So a 300m challenge without him seems obsolete! It was, in fact, in 2024 that Tebogo set the world record, clocking 30.69 seconds. A statement that the world could not ignore. But that’s not all that went down in 2024!

2024, while being a rather glorious year for Letsile Tebogo, was also a year that put his resilience to the test. On May 19, 2024, Tebogo lost his mother. However, he pushed on, winning two Olympic medals and a personal best of 19.46 in the 200m. So when Tebogo says, “It’s time,” it is not just a mere remark. It is a declaration and hopefully a yes to the 2025 New Balance Boston Grand Prix. So does this mean all the names from the Matt Hudson-Smith challenge are going to be on track this coming February?

Does this mean Fred Kerley, Letsile Tebogo, and Matt Hudson-Smith will go head-to-head?

Well, it definitely is a possibility! Vernon Norwood has thrown down the gauntlet, and Letsile Tebogo seems like he is just about to. Now that leaves Fred Kerley, who has already called out Hudson-Smith earlier in 2024! Kerley took it to X and wrote, “Ya @mattonthefloor I got you in 300.” All that remains is for Kerley to make it official. Hudson, however, also took two other names.

One of them is Noah Lyles, who is set to take the track for the Ralph Mann Memorial Men’s 60m. Considering the training for 300m and 60m would be extremely different, Lyles remains on the fence. Any guesses on the second name that Hudson took? It was none other than Rai Benjamin, yet another big name in the 400m hurdles. Benjamin, much like Lyles, will be at the New Balance Grand Prix, and that too in the Jesse Loubier Memorial Men’s 300m. Now with all these names in the mix, it is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity for Matt Hudson-Smith to live by his word. As the event draws near, Norwood’s words to Letsile Tebogo’s tweet are much like the reaction of the track community. As Norwood rightly puts it, “We waiting on you (Tebogo) … 👀👀”