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  • U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley charged with battery ahead of Grand Slam Track meet

    U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley charged with battery ahead of Grand Slam Track meet

     

    Fred Kerley celebrates after winning bronze in the men's 100m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 4, 2024.

     

    United States Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested Thursday night and charged with touch or strike battery after his ex-girlfriend alleged he hit her in the face.

     

    Police in Broward County, Fla., arrested Kerley at a hotel in Dania Beach, Fla., where athletes were staying in advance of this weekend’s Grand Slam Track meet in Miami.

     

    The woman told police that Kerley approached her at the hotel, according to a police report. She alleged Kerley began to argue with her and struck her in the face with a closed fist, causing her nose to bleed.

     

    Grand Slam Track, a new track league founded by celebrated Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson, said Kerley would not compete this weekend. As of Friday afternoon, Kerley’s profile was still present on the league website.

     

    “Fred Kerley was arrested last night. The matter is under active investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office,” Grand Slam Track said in a statement.

     

    A representative of Kerley did not respond to a request for comment.

     

    Kerley won bronze in the 100 meters in Paris last summer at the Olympics and silver in Tokyo in 2021. He was originally set to race in all four Grand Slam Track meets in the league’s debut season.

     

     

     

     

  • Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell sets American record in 100m hurdles

    Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell sets American record in 100m hurdles

     

     

    Olympic gold medalist Masai Russell shows no signs of slowing down.

     

    After winning gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a time of 12.33 seconds, Russell bested herself and turned in a personal best time of 12.17 seconds at the Grand Slam Track Miami meet on Friday, which sets an American record and becomes the second-fastest time in world history.

     

    Russell, 24, appeared to surprise herself, saying she’s “in shock” over the result after the race.

     

    “I wasn’t expecting that,” Russell said. “I just went out there and competed. These women force you to be your best self. It brings the best out of you. I’m just floating on cloud nine right now.”

     

    Fellow American Tia Jones finished second in the race with a time of 12.19, which marks the third-fastest time in world history. Both Russell and Jones beat the previous American record of 12.20 seconds set by Keni Harrison in 2016. Nigerian Tobi Amusan currently holds the world record in 100m hurdles with a time of 12.12, which she turned in at the 2022 World Championships.

     

    On Thursday, U.S. Olympic sprinter Fred Kerley was arrested for misdemeanor battery after allegedly striking a woman with a closed fist at a hotel ahead of this weekend’s Grand Slam Track event in Miami.

     

    Grand Slam Track confirmed in a statement that Kerley, the reigning Olympic bronze medalist in the men’s 100-meter dash would no longer compete at this weekend’s event and declined further comment. He was scheduled to compete in the 100-meter dash on Saturday and the 200-meter dash on Sunday.

     

    The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

  • A top NCAA title contender has been added to Kentucky’s Rupp Arena schedule

    A top NCAA title contender has been added to Kentucky’s Rupp Arena schedule

     

     

    Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope talks to the media after the Wildcats’ 78-65 loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament on March 28, 2025, in Indianapolis.

     

    The Kentucky men’s basketball schedule for the 2025-26 season is going to be difficult.

     

    Things won’t be easy for the Wildcats in the preseason either.

     

    The latest high-profile addition to UK’s slate for Mark Pope’s second year in charge of the program was confirmed Friday morning, but it won’t be a regular-season matchup.

     

    Pope’s Wildcats will instead play the Purdue Boilermakers in an exhibition game in Rupp Arena on Oct. 24.

     

    While this one won’t count for the regular-season standings, it’s shaping up to be a battle of two teams with realistic NCAA Tournament championship hopes.

     

    Purdue is No. 3 nationally in the early college basketball rankings from CBS Sports, which has Kentucky at No. 11 in the country at this early stage in the offseason.

     

    The Boilermakers, going into their 21st season under head coach Matt Painter, will be led again by veteran point guard Braden Smith, who will be the only AP first-team All-American returning to college basketball for the 2025-26 campaign.

     

    Smith, who was the subject of transfer rumors this spring — and even linked to Kentucky as a possible portal pickup — announced last month that he would return to Purdue for his senior year. He averaged 15.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game this past season.

     

    Painter will also return Trey Kaufman-Renn, who led the Boilermakers with 20.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game last season, as well as Fletcher Loyer, Daniel Jacobsen and C.J. Cox, who were third, fourth and fifth, respectively, on the Purdue scoring list in 2024-25.

     

    The Boilermakers finished last season with a 24-12 record, nearly upsetting Houston in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the NCAA title game the previous season.

     

    An early attempt at bracketology projections — posted by ESPN’s Joe Lunardi this week — listed Purdue as the No. 1 overall seed for the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

     

    A change to NCAA rules that was approved earlier this year now allows teams to schedule Division I opponents for regular exhibition games. In previous years, a matchup like this one would have necessitated a special waiver from the NCAA and included a provision that all game proceeds be donated to charity.

     

    Kentucky’s other exhibition game for the 2025-26 season has not yet been made official.

     

    Braden Smith was a first-team All-America point guard for the Purdue Boilermakers during the 2024-25 season.

     

     

    Kentucky’s 2025-26 basketball schedule

    There will also be plenty of marquee opponents for the Wildcats once the real games begin.

     

    UK’s 2025-26 schedule is still in the process of coming together, but several high-major foes are already on the slate. The first major game of the season is expected to be the annual Champions Classic matchup on Nov. 18, when UK will face Michigan State in Madison Square Garden in New York.

     

    The Spartans are No. 14 in the early CBS Sports rankings.

     

    Kentucky will also have a game against Gonzaga — No. 24 in those rankings — on Dec. 5 in Nashville, as well as a road game against Louisville in the Yum Center. The date for that rivalry matchup has not yet been determined, and CBS has the Cardinals at No. 13 in the country.

     

    The UK-Indiana rivalry is also set to resume this year, with the Hoosiers coming to Rupp Arena on Dec. 13.

     

    The following week will bring perhaps the Cats’ toughest test of the season. On Thursday, it was announced that Kentucky will play St. John’s on Dec. 20 in Atlanta as part of a revamped CBS Sports Classic lineup. That game will feature Pope coaching against Rick Pitino, who led UK to the 1996 national championship before later leading Louisville’s program for 16 years. Pope was a captain on that 1996 title team.

     

    St. John’s is ranked No. 2 on the early list from CBS Sports.

     

    And the Wildcats will also be part of the ACC/SEC Challenge for the third consecutive year, likely to end up with a marquee opponent in that showcase. Though the matchups and locations for that event have not yet been announced, UK is expected to get hosting rights in Rupp Arena after traveling to Clemson last season.

     

    With no games against Duke or North Carolina elsewhere on the schedule, the ACC/SEC Challenge organizers could pit one of those blue-bloods against the Wildcats.

     

    Kentucky is also sure to face a difficult, 18-game schedule in the SEC, which put a record 14 teams in the NCAA Tournament this year. UK had the third-toughest schedule in the country in Pope’s first season, according to the KenPom ratings.

  • Lions draft roundtable 2025: What was the best value pick?

    Lions draft roundtable 2025: What was the best value pick?

     

    Our staff makes their pick for the most valuable selection made in the Detroit Lions’ 2025 NFL Draft.

     

    The Detroit Lions’ 2025 draft wasn’t really about value. Detroit was aggressive in grabbing three top-70 players, trading up twice with negative trade value. No one will care if the players they grabbed hit, but by some metrics Detroit’s picks quite literally had the lowest value in the league.

     

    Regardless, that wasn’t necessarily true for all of the Lions’ seven picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. So in the latest edition of our draft recap roundtable, our staff made their picks for the most valuable selection made over the weekend.

     

    Previous roundtables:

     

    What was the Lions’ best value pick of the 2025 class?

    Erik Schlitt: Miles Frazier

     

    Most draft analysts viewed Frazier as having third-round value—Daniel Jeremiah even ranked him No. 61 on his final draft board—so for the Lions to land him with pick No. 171 looks like massive value. Frazier may end up being OG4 on this roster, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he starts a game or two when injuries occur.

     

    Al Karsten: Miles Frazier

     

    Frazier already brings the size, demeanor, and punch that offensive line coach Hank Fraley covets, and his pass protection chops should let him hit the ground running. Fraley can clean up the technical stuff—but Frazier had no business falling this far. Picks like this are a reminder that Brad Holmes might be an evil genius operating at the expense of the rest of the league.

     

    Brandon Knapp: Miles Frazier

     

    While I wasn’t initially excited about the pick, due to the team already taking Tate Rutledge, the fact that they got a top-100 player in Frazier in the fifth round (and for a very fair trade up) is amazing. Frazier can be a future starter, too.

     

    Max Gerber: Miles Frazier

     

    Miles Frazier was one of my favorite guards in this draft class, and I was shocked to see him fall to the end of the fifth round when many analysts had him going in the third or fourth. Detroit landed a starting-caliber player with NFL-ready size and intangibles in a spot where most teams wouldn’t. They obviously knew he was a great value pick as well, since they traded a sixth and seventh-round pick to move up and take him.

     

    John Whiticar: Miles Frazier

     

    Had the Lions not selected Tate Ratledge, I would have viewed this pick as the Lions getting a starting guard in the fifth round—an absolute steal.

    With Ratledge competing with Christian Mahogany and Graham Glasgow, I think Frazier has a difficult (but not impossible) path to the starting lineup, but even if he is a mere backup, he projects as an elite one. I would have been fine with Frazier in the third round, so securing additional offensive line insurance later in the draft is fantastic. If he can become comfortable at center and tackle during training camp, even better—he would be a depth piece at every position.

     

    Hamza Baccouche: Miles Frazier

     

    Miles Frazier by a wide margin. He has a ton of potential and getting him in the fifth round felt like a steal. He has a very similar resume to Ratledge as a three-year starter in the SEC, and Frazier has shown positional versatility with the ability to play any position that’s not center.

     

    Ryan Mathews: Miles Frazier

     

    Detroit was able to get quite the value when they selected Frazier, the sixth-best guard in the class according to the consensus draft board, with pick No. 171. Even though the Lions had already drafted guard Tate Ratledge earlier with pick No. 57, some great value in and of itself, that didn’t stop Holmes from trading up again for Frazier, a guard who checks all the boxes for Detroit: athleticism (9.30 RAS), dependability (played in every game over his last four seasons), and a mean streak.

     

    Morgan Cannon: Miles Frazier

     

    To draft a player like Miles Frazier at pick 171 is incredible value, and is hopefully yet another late-round steal for Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes. Frazier has three productive years under his belt at LSU, and should offer some positional versatility for offensive line coach Hank Fraley.

     

    Jeremy Reisman: Ahmed Hassanein

     

    Frazier is the lay-up answer based on media notions before the draft, but if we’re going to dismiss the “reaches” made by Holmes, then “steals” hold the same insignificant value. I like Frazier, but he has a tough route for any meaningful snaps early in his career. Hassanein, picked a round later, could be part of the defensive line rotation on Day 1, and with his passion, energy, and growing knowledge of the game, he has a ton of untapped potential. That’s everything you want in a sixth-round pick.

     

    Poll

    What was the Lions’ best value pick?

    Pick 28 – Tyleik Williams

    Pick 57 – Tate Ratledge

    Pick 70 – Isaac TeSlaa

    Pick 171 – Miles Frazier

    Pick 196 – Ahmed Hassanein

    Pick 230 – Dan Jackson

    Pick 244 – Dominic Lovett

  • American Olympic 100m medallist Kerley arrested, out of Miami Grand Slam meet – Jamaica Observer

    American Olympic 100m medallist Kerley arrested, out of Miami Grand Slam meet – Jamaica Observer

     

    American Olympic 100m medallist Kerley arrested, out of Miami Grand Slam meet

    MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Former world 100m champion Fred Kerley has withdrawn from this weekend’s Grand Slam Track meeting in Miami after being arrested for battery, officials confirmed on Friday.

     

    The 29-year-old American sprinter, who won 100m gold at the 2022 World Championships, was detained on Thursday by police in Broward County, Florida.

     

    Sierra Leone faces rise in mpox cases

     

    Arrest records showed Kerley had been arrested on a charge of touch or strike battery and remained in jail as of early Friday.

     

    The Letsrun.com track and field news website said Kerley had been arrested following an incident at the official hotel for this weekend’s Grand Slam Track meeting, the second event of Michael Johnson’s new circuit.

     

    S Hotel MoBay ranked #1 all-inclusive in Jamaica, 11th best in the world

    Grand Slam Track said Kerley would play no part in the meeting.

     

    “Fred Kerley was arrested last night,” Grand Slam Track said in a statement. “The matter is under active investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. Fred will not compete this weekend. We have no further comment at this time.”

     

    ‘We reject criminality, we reject crime’ — BVI Premier

     

    Kerley, whose career also includes a 100m silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before a 100m bronze at last year’s Paris Games, has had multiple brushes with the law in recent months.

     

    In January he was arrested by police in Miami Beach following a confrontation with officers that led to him being tasered. He was subsequently charged battery against a police officer, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

     

    Separately in January, Kerley was also charged with domestic violence by strangulation following an incident in May 2024.

     

  • American track star Kerley to miss Grand Slam Track meet after arrest

    American track star Kerley to miss Grand Slam Track meet after arrest

    Grand Slam Track announced on Friday that two-time Olympic 100-meter gold Fred Kerley would not be participating in this weekend’s first U.S.-based event in Miami due to his arrest. Kerley was set to run in the 100m on Saturday and the 200m on Sunday. Kerley won silver in the same distance at the 2020 Tokyo Games and bronze in the 100m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

    Last night, Fred Kerley was taken into custody. All questions should be sent to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office as the situation is still being investigated,” Grand Slam Track stated in a statement. “This weekend, Fred won’t be competing. Right now, we have nothing else to say. Kerley’s representative has been contacted by Reuters for comment. When Reuters called the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, they did not immediately offer information about Kerley’s arrest.

    According to media sources, the 29-year-old Kerley was charged with touch or strike battery during an altercation at the meet hotel and there was no deadline for his release. Kerley raced in Grand Slam Track’s inaugural competition last month in Kingston, Jamaica. Grand Slam Track was founded by four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson and will host four competitions in 2025. The Diamond League, which has long been the global leader in the sport and holds 15 tournaments annually in locales ranging from Xiamen to Zurich, faces direct competition from the circuit.

  • Lions Defender is Detroit’s Biggest Offseason Loser So Far

    Lions Defender is Detroit’s Biggest Offseason Loser So Far

     

    Between free agency and the 2025 NFL draft, it’s abundantly clear that one Detroit Lions defender is the team’s biggest offseason loser after two months.

     

    Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks during minicamp at Detroit Lions headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.

    Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell speaks during minicamp at Detroit Lions headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park.

    The Detroit Lions are ready to begin the next chapter of the NFL offseason now that May is here. General manager Brad Holmes has been working hard throughout the last two months, adding hungry contributors through free agency and the 2025 NFL draft with the hope of remaining in Super Bowl contention next season.

     

    While fans are thrilled to welcome the new Lions to the Motor City, the influx of fresh faces isn’t good news for everyone. Detroit’s plethora of offseason moves likely spells bad news for various roster bubble veterans, including one wideout who’s easily the team’s biggest offseason loser so far.

     

    Lions DL Mekhi Wingo is Detroit’s Biggest Offseason Loser

    When it comes to the Lions’ biggest offseason losers, look no further than defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo.

     

    The former Missouri/LSU product was drafted 189th overall by Detroit during the 2024 draft and struggled to find playing time in his first NFL campaign. Wingo was limited to 220 snaps (176 defensive, 44 special teams) through his first 11 appearances before a knee injury sidelined him for the remainder of his rookie campaign.

     

    Unfortunately, Wingo didn’t have much to show for his limited opportunities. He ended the year with nine total tackles (1 solo effort) while playing to less-than-inspiring Pro Football Focus grades regarding pass rushing (58.9), run stoppage (46.4), and overall defense.

     

    Wingo’s outlook would look more promising had the Lions cleared up the defensive logjam ahead of him, but that hasn’t been the case. Not only did the Lions re-sign a D-line quartet (Levi Onwuzurike, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Pat O’Connor, and Mitchell Agude), but they also signed former Arizona Cardinals DL Roy Lopez, who boasts much more experience (50 starts in 63 games) than Wingo.

     

    The D-Line additions didn’t end there, much to Wingo’s dismay. The 2025 draft saw the Lions further bolster their frontline, using the 28th overall pick on Ohio State standout Tyleik Williams before drafting Boise State disruptor Ahmed Hassanein towards the back half of Round 6. That’s without mentioning Detroit signing undrafted Houston DL Keith Cooper Jr., who might develop into one of the biggest post-draft steals.

     

    In other words, Wingo is about to face even more competition for playing time. Yes, he’s had nearly a full year in the Lions’ system, however, that doesn’t change the fact that his rookie performance wasn’t impressive, nor does anyone know how he’ll perform post-injury.

     

    It’s going to take a strong showing from Wingo if he wants to prove to head coach Dan Campbell & Co. that he belongs on the roster. The 291-pound defender’s next opportunity to showcase his abilities will come when the Lions host their organized team activities, beginning on Wednesday, May 28.

     

     

  • SEC Network analyst says league no longer runs through Georgia

    SEC Network analyst says league no longer runs through Georgia

    During a conversation on SiriusXM on Thursday, SEC Network analysts Peter Burns and Chris Doering discussed the changing landscape in college football and the paradigm shift taking place in the SEC. Georgia won last year’s SEC Championship game, beating Texas a second time, but Doering wonders if the Bulldogs haven’t taken a step back in the era of NIL.

    “We are seeing things that we haven’t seen from Georgia before. We’re seeing the inability to retain a roster,” Doering said. “They were one of the last schools to be able to keep their team in place and have the kind of depth that you have to have to win championships the way Alabama did, the way that Georgia did.

    “They were hurt last year up the middle of their defense with injuries and not having that next wave of player to be able to step in. We’re seeing things from Georgia where they go and they get manhandled by Ole Miss the way they did. We’re seeing them get physically beaten the way they did by Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. These are things that are signs of concern, and knowing what the landscape of college football is now, we don’t know if it can sustain in this type of environment.”

    Burns added that Georgia’s dominance was built in the same way Alabama’s was. Kirby Smart, like Nick Saban before him, stacked elite talent in ways few others could. The top line of the two-deep had future NFL players, the next line of the two-deep had future NFL players, and the reserve units had young players who would eventually develop into NFL prospects.

    “That style of roster management is no longer available because of NIL and the transfer portal,” Burns said. “If Georgia is a team that has struggled, is it Texas that is now the superpower of the SEC? Going back-to-back in their College Football Playoff runs, now they’re looking at spending $35-40 million on this roster.

    “If you look at the numbers, the SEC does not run through Georgia right now. The SEC powerhouse (is) the Texas Longhorns.”

    It’s an interesting conversation to have. Georgia had 13 players selected in last week’s NFL Draft, 2 off an all-time record for players from a single school in one draft cycle. Texas had 12 players taken in the 7 rounds. But the Longhorns were soundly beaten by the Bulldogs in Austin during the regular season and then beaten once again in the conference title game.

    Georgia won the first meeting despite throwing 3 interceptions. Georgia won the second meeting despite losing its starting quarterback at halftime.

    The latest national championship odds suggest Texas has a better chance of winning the CFP next season than Georgia, but it’s close.

    They’ll play each other in Athens on Nov. 15. That game promises to be one of the best on the league’s calendar all year.

  • Former Texas Longhorns WR Transferring to Syracuse

    Former Texas Longhorns WR Transferring to Syracuse

    A former Texas Longhorns wide receiver has found his new home out of the transfer portal.

    Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) runs the ball in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.

    AUSTIN — Former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II has landed with his third team in less than a year.

    Per On3’s Hayes Fawcett, Cook II has committed to the Syracuse Orange, as he’ll head to New York to play for second-year head coach Fran Brown. Cook II recently completed a visit with Syracuse, signaling that he could be coming to a decision.

    A former five-star, Cook II has two years of collegiate experience to his name as he begins a new chapter. He also visited the Arizona State Sun Devils — per Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods — along with having reported interest from teams like Houston, Oklahoma, Indiana, Arkansas and BYU.

    Sep 28, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Johntay Cook II (1) reacts to missing a catch as the Texas Longhorns take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.Cook II and Texas parted way in November, leading to him entering the portal and eventually committing to the Washington Huskies. However, his time in Seattle came to a quick end and Cook II was back in the portal by January.

    He was arrested twice in a two-week period in Texas in February, first for misdemeanor theft and second for possession of marijuana before re-entering the portal.

    Cook II finished his time at Texas with just 16 catches for 273 yards and two touchdowns across two seasons. His most notable performance came in the 56-7 win over UTSA in September. Cook II finished with three catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns, catching one score apiece from Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning.

    He met with the Texas media in September and talked about the talent in the wide receiver room. Longhorn fans expected Cook II to break out as a sophomore but instead his exit and the events that followed combined to make one long dramatic episode.

    “Just my growth, overall maturity,” Cook II said in September when asked about his biggest improvement. “Just really my approach to my everyday, schedule, routine, I would say. Just learning from the guys that were before me, and just really buying into the program.”

  • Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone & Ackera Nugent Set to Shine at GST Miami Slam

    Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone & Ackera Nugent Set to Shine at GST Miami Slam

     

     

    The Grand Slam Track (GST) Miami Slam, the second stop in the league’s inaugural season, is shaping up to be a must-watch event this weekend at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida. Among the headliners are Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Jamaica’s rising star Ackera Nugent, both expected to dominate the women’s hurdle events.

     

    Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is the undisputed queen of the 400m hurdles. After setting the world record of 50.37 seconds at the 2024 Paris Olympics, she opened her 2025 season at the Kingston Slam with an emphatic win, clocking 52.76 seconds. Her smooth stride pattern and technical precision make her nearly unbeatable when in form. As the GST format requires athletes to compete in two events per meet, McLaughlin-Levrone’s versatility and stamina give her a competitive edge. In Miami, she is favored to take the 400m hurdles again and continue her march toward the GST season crown and a share of the $12.6 million prize pool.

     

    Meanwhile, Ackera Nugent is quickly making a name for herself in the 100m hurdles. The 22-year-old Jamaican set a national record of 12.24 seconds at the Rome Diamond League last year, placing her among the fastest women in the event’s history. At the Kingston Slam, she finished fourth in the 100m hurdles with 12.75 seconds but bounced back with a runner-up finish in the 100m sprint. These performances earned her 13 points and $30,000 in prize money. Now, Nugent looks to climb higher in Miami and potentially upset the current 100m hurdles leader, Tia Jones, who won Kingston in 12.63 seconds.

     

    The GST league, founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, has brought a fresh energy to track and field. With a compact schedule, consistent prize money, and top-tier athletes committed to competing at each meet, the league aims to give fans regular access to elite-level competition. McLaughlin-Levrone and Nugent’s presence is part of what makes this format so compelling—stars competing head-to-head multiple times in a season, something traditional athletics circuits rarely deliver.

     

    In Miami, fans can expect a fast track, electric atmosphere, and plenty of fireworks from the women’s hurdle events. McLaughlin-Levrone will look to lower her season-best, while Nugent seeks to convert her raw speed and improving technique into victory. Both athletes represent the present and future of hurdling, and their performances this weekend could shape the narrative for the rest of the GST season.

     

    With top-level talent, large crowds, and a new league format, the Miami Slam is poised to deliver. All eyes will be on Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Ackera Nugent as they aim not only for wins but also for dominance in a new era of professional track and field.