Oh, Michael Johnson knew exactly what he was doing when he posted, “My apologies to the safety pin industry!” on X today. That tongue-in-cheek remark wasn’t just a jab at tradition—it was a bold mic drop for the launch of Grand Slam Track (GST), a revolutionary new league that’s already shaking up the sport.

 

Watch What’s Trending Now!

 

Gone are the days of awkward paper bibs flapping in the wind. Instead, athletes at GST strutted onto the track with stick-on IDs—sleek, minimalist, and proudly displaying their names across their custom kits. It’s a small detail, but one that speaks volumes. GST is here to change the game, not just in presentation but in every way. And if the kits were futuristic, the Day 1 performances were downright electric.

 

From the moment the first starter’s pistol cracked through the air, it was clear: this wasn’t just a spectacle. It was serious competition, with serious stakes—one of the biggest prize purses in athletics history on the line. Every athlete had something to prove, and the energy was palpable. And when we’re talking about athletes, the list includes names like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, and many others.

 

 

 

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Poll of the day

Poll 1 of 5

Do you think the introduction of stick-on IDs at Grand Slam Track is a game-changer for athletics?

 

Absolutely, it’s about time for innovation

 

No, it’s just a gimmick

 

Maybe, but it depends on athlete feedback

 

I don’t care as long as the competition is fierce

 

Do you think Gable Steveson’s constant switching between sports is damaging his legacy?

 

Yes, he’s squandering his potential

 

No, it’s his career to explore

 

Maybe, but he can still redeem himself

 

I don’t care as long as he competes

 

Want to dive deeper?

Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.

 

Should Gable Steveson focus solely on wrestling to fulfill his Olympic potential?

 

Yes, he should commit to wrestling

 

No, he should explore other sports

 

He should balance both wrestling and other sports

 

It’s too late for him to focus on wrestling

 

Are Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens making the right choice by adding a Doberman to their family?

 

Yes, Dobermans are great family dogs

 

No, they should focus on their careers

 

It’s their personal choice

 

Not sure

 

Absolutely, her resilience is inspiring

 

It’s impressive, but not the greatest

 

It’s too early to tell

 

No, there are better comeback stories

 

Want to dive deeper?

Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.

 

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Yet another day in office for Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

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April 5 at Grand Slam Track? Pure fire. Let’s talk about how Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set the tone—then completely shattered it.

 

The day kicked off with Gabby in the women’s 200m, and while the camera angle might’ve had fans squinting at their screens (GST, please, we need a better view of greatness), there was no missing the smooth power Gabby brought to the track.

The newly painted surface at Jamaica’s National Stadium shimmered, and Gabby made sure it wasn’t just the track turning heads. She clocked 22.62 seconds—a commanding win that earned her 12 points and a dominance score of 53.00. Solid. Confident. Just what you expect from an Olympic medalist.

 

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But just when you thought that might be the day’s peak…Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone stepped onto the track for the women’s 400m hurdles, and everything shifted.

 

There was tension. There was history. Because Dalilah Muhammad, the former Olympic champ and Sydney’s long-time rival, was in the blocks too. Their past duels? Legendary. But this time, there was no plot twist—Sydney owned it from the gun.

 

Dalilah put up a fight, finishing in 54.59 seconds, but Sydney? She dropped an APRIL BOMBSHELL: 52.76 seconds, smashing through the 53-second barrier like it was paper. That’s not just a win—that’s a record.

And her dominance score? A whopping 73.00. That’s 20 points higher than Gabby’s and a clear message to the rest of the world: Sydney is already in championship mode—and it’s only April. The day, however, wasn’t the same for Fred Kerley. The two-time Olympic medalist could have had a memorable finish on Friday. But things didn’t go as expected.

 

 

 

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Fred Kerley’s Grand Slam Track opening didn’t go as expected

“When the time comes, I’ll be ready for the next race — and the next race is tomorrow.” Those words crackled with confidence and defiance — classic Fred Kerley energy. And he meant every syllable. On Friday, under the spotlight in a stacked 100m showdown featuring heavyweights like Kenny Bednarek and Oblique Seville, Kerley stepped up with fire in his eyes.

 

But the result didn’t match the hype. Clocking 10.30 seconds, Kerley finished 7th — a surprising result for the Olympic silver medalist. Still, if you thought a rough day at the office would shake his resolve, think again. Unshaken and unfazed, Kerley stood tall after the race, eyes already locked on his next mission: the 200m.

‘I’ll be back,’ he vowed, with the same grit that’s made him one of the most electric sprinters of his generation. While the sprinters brought the fireworks, the distance runners delivered the finesse — and none shone brighter than Grant Fisher.

 

 

 

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via Reuters

On Day 1, the Olympic finalist reminded everyone why he’s one of America’s most elite distance stars. In the men’s 5,000m, Fisher ran with control, class, and just the right touch of swagger, surging ahead to claim victory in 14:39.14. It wasn’t about chasing records — it was about winning with intent.

Fisher bided his time, then turned on the jets when it mattered most, leaving the field behind and taking command of the race with surgical precision. Ultimately, it was a performance that didn’t scream for attention — it demanded respect. And on Friday, Grant Fisher got plenty of it, standing tall at the top of the podium with more to prove and bigger goals ahead.

 

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A women’s sprinter runs with a baton.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, seen competing for the United States in the women’s 4×100-metre relay final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

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Putting Sydney McLaughlin in the final race of the final day of the inaugural Grand Slam Track event was a simple choice for organizers.

 

She’s American and mediagenic and a generational performer. Three trips to the Olympics and counting. Four gold medals, with more coming if she stays healthy and motivated. Every time she steps on the track she threatens the 400-metre hurdle world record.

 

Except Sunday afternoon she’ll be running the flat 400, which, as of right now, is her second-best event.

 

And instead of lining up against Grand Slam Track’s other 400m standouts, like current world leader Salwa Eid Nasser, 2024 Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and 200m gold medallist Gabby Thomas, the new circuit’s format will pit her against other hurdlers in a race without obstacles.

 

That first matchup — a four-way battle royale among tip-tier elites — is a headliner at any track meet on the planet, and the kind of high-speed, high-profile showdown that intrigues hardcores and drive-by fans alike. It’s also the kind of race the new league teased when it promised to gather best-in-class performers in a unique format.

 

And the main event they’re delivering on Sunday?

 

It’s a series of choices.

 

WATCH | Michael Johnson discusses Grand Slam Track with CBC Sports’ Morgan Campbell:

 

 

‘Track’s never had a Formula 1’: Michael Johnson on his new pro track league

 

 

The four-time Olympic champion sits down with host Morgan Campbell just days away from the debut of the Grand Slam Track event in Kingston, Jamaica.

A smart performance decision to put 21 hours between the hurdles and the flat 400, to give fine-tuned athletes maximum time to rest.

 

A savvy marketing play to set up McLaughlin-Levrone — who has the fastest personal best in the field by two seconds — to conduct a quarter-mile clinic in the meet’s final race, and leave a stunning final impression on viewers in the 189 countries where the event is scheduled to air.

 

The verdict on the decision to keep McLaughlin-Leverone separate from Nasser, Paulino and Thomas this weekend depends on what happens next.

 

If organizers make sure that the four superstars are on a collision course, it’s brilliant. Building tension early in the year makes the late-season payoff that much more satisfying. If you’re a Grand Slam Track stakeholder, you’d love to end the year with Sydney versus Gabby versus Marileidy versus Nasser, all of them attacking the 48-second barrier.

 

But if you’re a boxing fan, you know that just because a matchup should happen, doesn’t mean it will. That’s why we never got Lennox Lewis against Riddick Bowe for a pro world title. And if Grand Slam Track, whose current format has McLaughlin-Levrone in a separate event category from Nasser, Thomas and Paulino, can’t find a way to get those four together this season, then it all looks cynical. Best on best with an asterisk.

 

Two women’s sprinters celebrate after a race while each holds the flag of the United States.

Gabby Thomas, left, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone helped the United States win Olympic gold in the women’s 4×100-metre in Paris last year.

.

 

No matter what I wind up thinking about the format, the races it facilitates and the ones it prevents, I’m impressed at the depth and breadth of talent lining up on the newly resurfaced track at Kingston’s National Stadium this weekend.

 

All three medallists from the women’s 100m hurdles in Paris are scheduled to compete — Masai Russell, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Cyréna Samba-Mayela. The men’s 100m features Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, Zharnel Hughes and Oblique Seville. It could almost be a world final, in the first week in April.

 

Early season causes scheduling nightmare

This time of year, which marks the unofficial opening of the outdoor season, is thrilling for avid track fans, but a nightmare for anyone trying to gather a critical mass of talented performers for a top-level event. Nearly everyone is at a different stage in their buildup to the world championships in September. Hardly anyone’s schedule lines up with everybody else’s.

 

You want to see Andre De Grasse and the rest of Team Canada this weekend?

 

They’re at the Florida Relays in Gainesville. De Grasse trains in Gainesville now, and is scheduled to run the 200m, with Canadian 400m phenom Christopher Morales Williams competing in the next heat.

 

Trying to get a look at Olympic 100m champ Julien Alfred and silver-medallist Sha’Carri Richardson? They’re slated to run at the Miramar Invitational outside Miami.

 

Other big-name sprinters and hurdlers?

 

Noah Lyles? Kishane Thompson? Femke Bol?

 

They’re all someplace, but not the same place.

 

 

 

Gout Gout is considered one of the hottest names in athletics across the globe right now but he’s just one Australian prospect on a rapidly growing list, giving the nation belief it can be a major contender in some of the fastest races in the world.

 

Several coaches and experts believe the country is on the precipice of its greatest era in track sprinting, with a home Olympics in 2032 on the horizon.

 

As South-East Queensland prepares to host its own Games, it has emerged as a factory for sprint stars, with youngsters including Lachlan Kennedy, Thewbelle Philp, Amaya Mearns and Calab Law also setting a lightning pace.

 

Over the next nine days, the sprinters will all compete at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth.

 

They’ll go head-to-head, challenge each other and push harder and faster towards the finish line, hunting new records, personal bests and more opportunities to wear the green and gold at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.

 

Lachlan Kennedy holds up a trophy at the Maurie Plant Meet.

Lachlan Kennedy stole the headlines from Gout Gout at the Maurie Plant Meet. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

“I think we’re already in the golden era of Australian sprinting,” 60-metre men’s world silver medallist Lachlan Kennedy said.

 

“I can’t see any of us slowing down, especially if the standard keeps getting raised.

 

“You want to beat everyone you go up against even if they’re your friend, it’s an individual sport at the end of the day, but we’re competitors.

 

“I don’t want to lose to anyone in any race I’m in and I don’t think I’ll lose in any race I’m in … so we just all push each other.

 

“Competition is the best thing for a sport like this … it improves our relay team a lot as well; it just breeds a good culture of competitiveness and intensity and excitement.”

 

The sprinters all have different journeys, different stories, but share the same motivation — to compete for Australia in Brisbane in seven years, just kilometres from where they train each and every day.

 

Get to know some of our future sprint stars.

 

Thewbelle Philp

What Thewbelle Philp might lack in height, she certainly doesn’t lack in speed — coach Leanne Hines-Smith believes the 16-year-old has the capability to be the fastest woman in Australia.

 

The year 12 Palm Beach Currumbin High School student set a blistering pace at last year’s Australian All Schools Championships in Brisbane, with the third fastest 100 metres under-18 time, 11.38, in Australian history.

 

Thewbelle Philp runs along the track during a training session

Standing at 1.57 metres tall, Thewbelle Philp is electric on the track. (ABC News: Jess Stewart)

Now Philp and her coach are eyeing off Raelene Boyle’s record of 11.20 — set in Mexico in 1968.

 

“I got into athletics when I was 10, so I used to do swimming and tried team sports like touch when I was growing up but mainly I leant towards running,” Philp said.

 

“In primary school on sports days I was winning the races and my dad was like, ‘well, you’re going pretty good, Belle, don’t you want to try some training?’”

 

That’s when Philp, nicknamed ‘Chewy’, met her coach and together they’ve only blossomed from there.

 

“My reaction time, my starts as well, that’s my strength,” the teenager said.

 

“I want to be able to make Brisbane Olympics in 2032, so hopefully my process to getting there is pretty good.”

 

This week, at the Nationals in Perth, she will compete in the 100 metres and 200 metres Under 18 and Under 20 events, as well as the 4×100 metres relay.

 

Thewbelle Philp chatting to coach Leanne Hines-Smith on the track

Thewbelle Philp and coach Leanne Hines-Smith. (ABC News: Jessica Stewart)

Philp measures in at 1.57 metres tall, but Hines-Smith is quick to remind her she’s actually taller than some of the fastest and most successful female sprinters in the world: Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser Price and American Sha-Carri Richardson.

 

“I don’t believe height’s a thing. Thewbelle’s fiercely competitive. She’s got some great attributes genetically and she’s hungry and she loves the sport,” Hines-Smith said.

 

“I think she’s got such capability and the exciting part is she’s young, definitely not overtrained. Her strength is she’s still got more speed to develop.”

 

Amaya Mearns

A fierce but friendly rival of Philp, Amaya Mearns is also hunting one of Raelene Boyle’s long-standing national records.

 

The 17-year-old from St Peters Western Lutheran College believes she will break the 22.74 time Boyle set in the under-18 and under-20 200-metres 56 years ago.

 

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Her personal best is 23.15, set in December 2024.

 

Mearns, who started her junior athletics career as a long distance runner, said she enjoys having someone to chase out of the blocks.

 

“I love having a rival … as much as I don’t like coming second, I think that it really helps me helps me run faster and get better,” she said.

 

“My favourite event is the 200 and my best event is the 200.

 

“I’m a little bit taller than most of my competition, so it takes me a little bit longer to get my stride up but after about 150 metres is where my stride really opens up.”

 

Amaya Mearns runs while carrying a baton during a relay

Amaya Mearns has her sights set on Brisbane 2032. (Getty Images: Cameron Spencer)

Mearns, who is a keen boxer when she’s not at the track, said she’s determined to compete at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

 

“I think I was national champ at [the time of the announcement],” she said.

 

“When we saw it on the TV, my mum took a photo of me and she said ‘that would be you one day’ and me and my best friend just looked at each other and went, ‘yeah, we’ll go to that’.

 

“I think it’s something that I could achieve, but obviously it’s a long way away.”

 

Lachlan Kennedy

Lachlan Kennedy is what many in the athletics world would consider a “latecomer”, yet he’s still only 21.

 

Kennedy, who just last month won Australia’s first medal in the 60 metres at the World Athletics Indoor Championships, grew up a keen rugby union player before making the switch to sprinting.

 

Lachlan Kennedy focusing on his warm-ups indoors at a training session

Lachlan Kennedy believes the Australian 100m record will be broken this year. (ABC News: Jessica Stewart)

“I wasn’t super skilled or good at footy, I was a definite liability on defence, but I would get the ball in my hands and I’ll just try and run around people,” he said.

 

In his senior years at St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace in Brisbane, he said it was his rugby union coach who actually suggested he take up track and field.

 

He has been training as a sprinter for about four years.

 

“I think I’m very lucky in that regard that I’ve had such a good start [to the sport],” he said.

 

“I’ve still got so much more I can improve on, so much more strength to be gained. I’ve only scratched the surface of what I’m capable of.

 

“The biggest step for me was definitely involving gym because I always just lifted just for footy. Then once I left school and started lifting with the more track focus, that was the where I saw the biggest jump and improvement.”

 

Kennedy, who studies engineering and commerce at the University of Queensland, believes it will only be a matter of time as to when he breaks the 10-second barrier in the 100 metres.

 

His personal best is 10.03, achieved in Perth just last month.

 

Kennedy is confident Patrick Johnson’s 2003 Australian record of 9.93 won’t be safe for much longer.

 

“It will be broken. Hopefully in Perth, if not definitely by the end of the year,” he said.

 

“I don’t want to stop at the fastest man in Australia. I want to obviously keep on going and be one of the top threats in the world.

 

“Track and field in Australia alone has blown up massively.

 

“So it’s feasible to really put everything I have into this sport. With the Olympics being in Brisbane in 2032, it’s just extra motivation.”

 

Calab Law

Calab Law is the current national champion in the 200 metres, a world under-20s bronze medallist, represented Australia at the Paris Olympics — and is only still 21.

 

He’s also Lachlan Kennedy’s training partner.

 

Caleb Law walks along the track at night wearing a sprayjacket

Calab Law describes himself as a “relaxed runner”. (ABC News: Jessica Stewart)

“I got into running about when I was 10 years old,” he said.

 

“My mum was a really big fan of Cathy Freeman and basically that’s how I got started, because I was watching Cathy as a kid.

 

“My mum always said I was going to be quick because I have a twin brother and even when we started walking, I was always beating him.”

 

The 21-year-old trains out of Mayne Harriers Athletics Club alongside Kennedy and Mearns.

 

“I think I’m a pretty relaxed runner … that’s how I describe myself,” he said.

 

“Who wouldn’t want to have the fastest man in Australia over like the 100 and 200 right now, like Lachie, to train with?”

 

Coach Andrew Iselin said Law is capable of achieving anything he puts his mind to.

 

“He’s such a cruisy guy. He’s so relaxed,” Iselin said.

 

“He actually just makes the whole sort of training experience better for everyone because he brings that aura about him.”

 

Law will run in the 100 and 200 metres at the nationals in Perth next week.

 

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Who said the big names always dominate? While we expected Olympic champion Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson to rule the track at the start of the outdoor season, both have yet to step into the starting blocks for a 100m showdown. Instead, it’s a teenage sensation from Jamaica that’s stealing all the headlines! The young phenom from Usain Bolt’s homeland is busy setting the track ablaze with times that make some veterans nervous. The Jamaican Championships revealed so!

 

Watch What’s Trending Now!

 

Well, Jamaican young sprinter Sabrina Dockery is making serious waves in the track world! At just 18 years old, she’s become the fastest in the 100m this year with a blistering 11.08s (+0.8) performance at Jamaica’s National Stadium in Kingston on March 26th. What makes this even more impressive? Her time is faster than some seasoned veterans like New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs, who represented her country at the Olympics.

 

Let’s put this in perspective – Dockery’s 11.08s would have earned her 8th place in last year’s Olympic final! The 8th position at the Olympics was 13.84s, meaning this teenager was faster than that, and she was just 0.04 seconds away from seventh in the Olympics. Pretty remarkable for someone born in 2006, right? The Kingston performance wasn’t just a one-off either.

 

 

 

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It came after she had already turned heads at the Jamaican Championships, where she ran 11.12s in the semis before claiming the title with that 11.08s masterclass. This makes her the second-fastest winner in event history (just behind Alana Reid), the 5th fastest Jamaican junior ever, and the fastest U20 sprinter in the world this year. But Dockery’s path hasn’t been without drama.

 

Poll of the day

Poll 1 of 5

Yes, he’s squandering his potential

 

No, it’s his career to explore

 

Maybe, but he can still redeem himself

 

I don’t care as long as he competes

 

Want to dive deeper?

Here are the articles that inspired recent polls.

 

 

 

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In the 200m, after breezing through heats with a 23.22s, she faced heartbreak with a disqualification due to a false start – the same fate she suffered last year. Following protests from her school, Lacovia High, she got a second chance, running 23.88 seconds under immense pressure to earn back her spot. Meanwhile, the established stars are making interesting moves of their own.

 

 

Not Julien Alfred, 18-Year-Old Track & Field Star Tops World Rankings Ahead of Outdoor Season

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Sha’Carri Richardson, the American sprint sensation, hasn’t raced since last September and is trying to start her season. And Saint Lucia’s Olympic champion Julien Alfred hasn’t competed in the 100m yet this year, though she’s been active in other events. Alfred has run a 300m at The Track at New Balance in Boston (36.16s) back in February, a 400m at Clemson (52.97s) in mid-February, and was part of a 4x400m relay team that clocked 3:25.20 at the end of March in Austin.

 

A new crop of athletes is making a big impact before the start of the outdoor season

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A new generation of sprinters is making its mark in the 100m and is even inching closer to the times set by Olympic stars in Paris last year. Julien Alfred dominated the Olympic final with a stunning 10.72s to take gold, while Sha’Carri Richardson (10.87s) and Melissa Jefferson (10.92s) secured silver and bronze. Now, in 2025, a fresh wave of talent is emerging, determined to bridge the gap.

 

 

 

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Jamaica’s Sabrina Dockery has already spelled danger at just 18 years of age as she clocked 11.08s in Kingston, the fastest time so far. Right behind her, a trio of American sprinters is proving the U.S. has no shortage of speed. Alexis Brown (11.13s), Joyasia Smith (11.21s), and Jassani Carter (11.22s) are all pushing the limits. India Mayberry and Naomi London, both still teenagers, have matched those times, showing that the next generation is already knocking on the door.

 

At first glance, they’re still a few strides behind the Olympic podium finishers. But when you look at progression, the shift is clear. Tia Clayton, who finished seventh in Paris with 11.04s, is now only fractions ahead of Dockery and considering the rapid improvement these rising stars are showing, it is pretty clear they can challenge the elite sprinters.

 

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Usain Bolt believes compatriot Oblique Seville could be the sprinter to shatter his 100m world record, despite his ‘fragile’ nature.

 

The eight-time Olympic gold medallist’s record has been unchallenged since clocking an astonishing 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

 

Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds has stood since August 16, 2009

Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds has stood since August 16, 2009

Bolt believes Seville has got what it takes to slash his world record on the 100m distance

Bolt believes Seville has got what it takes to slash his world record on the 100m distance

But now, Bolt has dubbed Jamaica star Seville to be the one to claim a new stake at the top of sprinting.

 

Several sprinters, including Yohan Blake and Tyson Gay, have come close to Bolt’s time, having both recorded 9.69 seconds in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

 

 

However, Bolt’s time remains untouched, even with the rise of Olympic champion Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Fred Kerley.

 

It isn’t any of them who Bolt believed would challenge for his record though, with Seville the top of his list.

 

While young talents like Australia’s Gout Gout — who has already broken some of Bolt’s teenage records — and Britain’s 15-year-old Divine Iheme are emerging, Bolt singled out Seville, 24, as the one to watch.

 

Speaking on The Fix Podcast, Bolt said: “I feel like Oblique can do it. If he can stay fit during the season and get it right, I feel he can do it, because I am sure there is something there, the ability to do it.”

 

 

Bolt acknowledged that Seville’s inconsistency could be a hurdle but maintained that his record is within reach.

 

He added: “Some of the time Oblique can be fragile. It’s a matter of the work situation or whatever, but if he’s doing enough work, he can do it.

 

“It’s a matter of time because he’s not missed the finals yet, so it’s just to get over the hump.”

 

Seville’s rise in sprinting has been steady. After finishing third in Jamaica’s 2020 Olympic Trials, he was quickly identified as one of the country’s most promising athletes.

 

 

Seville secured a notable victory over Noah Lyles earlier this year

Seville secured a notable victory over Noah Lyles earlier this year

Bolt also shared his thoughts on what it would take for Seville to reach the sport’s pinnacle.

 

“He’s the master and he just needs to find the right season, stay clean and do the right thing, and if the coach believes him and the coach says. It’s just that he needs to put it all together,” the 38-year-old explained.

 

Though Seville placed last in the 100m final at the 2024 Olympics, the experience has seemingly fueled his progress.

 

 

He recently claimed a statement victory over Lyles at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica, posting a blistering 9.82 seconds.

 

Training under legendary coach Glen Mills – the mastermind behind Bolt’s career – Seville appears well-positioned to challenge the sprinting greats and go for a shot at history.

 

It won’t be long before Seville is back in sprinting action either, with the 24-year-old in action at the Grand Slam Track event in Kingston on Friday 4th April.

 

Fastest 100m sprinters in history

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Ranking Sprinter Personal best (seconds) Year

1 Usain Bolt 9.58 2009

=2 Yohan Blake 9.69 2012

=2 Tyson Gay 9.69 2009

4 Asafa Powell 9.72 2008

5 Justin Gatlin 9.74 2015

=6 Christian Coleman 9.76 2019

=6 Trayvon Bromell 9.76 2021

=6 Fred Kerley 9.76 2022

=9 Ferdinand Omanyala 9.77 2021

=9 Kishane Thompson 9.77 2024

The competition was set-up by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson and is set to feature the likes of Gabby Thomas, Team GB’s Dina Asher-Smith, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Quincy Hall.

 

Jamaican pair Ackeem Blake will join Seville in the men’s 100m race, taking on Olympic 200m silver medallist Kenny Bednarek.

 

 

Next Usain Bolt’ Gout Gout shocked in major upset during first senior competition

Next Usain Bolt’ Gout Gout shocked in major upset during first senior competition

 

 

Yared Nuguse celebrates winning 1500m bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Image caption, Yared Nuguse thanked Taylor Swift and his pet tortoise Tyro in a social media post after winning Olympic bronze in Paris

Yared Nuguse’s childhood ambition has never changed.

 

While the 25-year-old made the podium in the fastest Olympic men’s 1500m final in history, his dream since 13 has been to qualify as an orthodontist.

 

But world gold is the American’s target in 2025 as he builds towards a shot at Olympic glory in Los Angeles in 2028 – an achievement the self-confessed ‘Swiftie’ hopes will grant him the opportunity to at last meet singer Taylor Swift.

 

The deadline for this chapter of his life has been set, however – Nuguse has no intention of delaying his career in dentistry beyond the end of his 20s.

 

“I always said I will get back to dentistry. The goal is 2029 right now, so I’m going to enjoy these years of running while I have it,” Nuguse tells BBC Sport.

 

“When I had braces I was such a huge fan of my orthodontist. I now have a smile that I’m really proud of and that is something I would love to provide to a lot of other kids. You can give them this permanent confidence boost.

 

“I’d always been the nerdy, smart type and I’d just pointed everything towards getting into dentist school. Running was just this fun little side thing.”

 

Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, Cole Hocker and Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men’s 1500m final at Paris 2024

Image caption, Just 0.15 seconds separated the men’s 1500m medallists at Paris 2024

 

 

At high school, he joined the bowling team to satisfy his extracurricular requirements, as it seemed “a great way to be in sport without being in a sport”.

 

The admissions tests were completed, the offers from dental schools were in.

 

But everything changed on the day his PE teacher informed the school’s track coach of his talent – an intervention which led Nuguse to rethink his plans and, ultimately, claim Olympic bronze in one of the most eagerly anticipated events of Paris 2024.

 

Nuguse, who also won world indoor silver last year, has asserted himself as a key player in a men’s 1500m event that has captured widespread attention amid the rivalry between Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

 

But as Kerr and Ingebrigtsen engaged in a public war of words last year, Nuguse was happy to leave the spotlight to his competitors and enjoy the fallout from afar.

 

“There’s already a lot of pressure on all of us but at the Olympics there was a little more on them, and a little less on me,” says Nuguse.

 

“I did love going to practice earlier in the year and it was like ‘oh my God, did you hear what they said?’ It’s the juiciest running drama we’ve had in a long time.

 

“It is a little funny how serious it felt in the moment. You can’t focus on it too much because it’s their business, but it made good running conversation, that’s for sure.”

 

Yared Nuguse poses next to his world record

Image caption, Yared Nuguse broke the indoor mile world record in February – but Jakob Ingebrigtsen bettered it five days later

Nuguse beat defending champion Ingebrigtsen and finished within 0.15 seconds of gold in a dramatic Paris final, in which Cole Hocker squeezed past Britain’s world champion Kerr to win in an Olympic record time.

 

The event’s current heavyweights represent four of the nine fastest men in history over the distance, but Nuguse is the only one yet to get his hands on gold.

 

He believes this year’s World Championships in Tokyo will provide his crowning moment.

 

“You’re really happy and proud of yourself but, at the same time, you’re still yearning for more,” says Nuguse, who broke the indoor mile world record in February only to see Ingebrigtsen beat it five days later.

 

“I know I can win these races, I was right there with them. It’s just a matter of doing literally that last 1%, or 0.1%.

 

“It just feels like it’s my time. I can taste it, I’m so close.”

 

Before aiming for his first global title in September, Nuguse will compete in the inaugural season of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, which begins in Kingston, Jamaica on Friday.

 

As a contracted racer, he will line up against fellow Olympic medallists Hocker and Kerr over 800m and 1500m at four ‘slams’, with a total prize pot of $12.6m (£10m) on offer to athletes, in addition to a base salary.

 

However, Johnson’s controversial decision to exclude field events from the competition has been criticised.

 

“I’m very excited. It’s shaping up to be something really cool and really fun,” says Nuguse.

 

“Track doesn’t really have this pinnacle league like a lot of other sports do and it’s largely because our sport is so different to a lot of traditional sports.

 

“It would be nice for track athletes to be treated like athletes in other professional sports, especially at the top level.

 

“I think it’s definitely a good shot at making something that could last and promote more of a professional league. I’m very interested to see how it’s received but [Johnson] seems to be doing everything right.”

 

Yared Nuguse at the Taylor Swift Eras Tour

Image caption, Yared Nuguse twice attended Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour during the off-season

Nuguse’s pet tortoise Tyro has only been out of hibernation for a few days when we speak, but the laid-back athlete is grateful to have his companion back.

 

“The irony was a big part of it. I often joke that he absorbs all my slow energy for me, so that I can be as fast as I want,” says Nuguse.

 

It will likely not be long before he once again becomes the star of the American’s social media accounts, providing an outlet for Nuguse’s silliness without having to be the main focus himself.

 

Last week, after waiting one year, Nuguse introduced his boyfriend, Julian, to his 85,000 followers.

 

On the door behind him, a sign reads ‘Beware of Goose’, after a high school news article coined the phrase ‘the Goose is loose’ as his running talent became increasingly apparent – and his team-mates ensured the nickname stuck.

 

This journey was not one Nuguse ever expected, the attention it has brought unnatural. He always had another plan beyond the track.

 

But his self-imposed deadline in the sport – before embarking on four years of dental school and a further two years of specialisation – is only serving to enhance his enjoyment of this current assignment.

 

“Hopefully, if I win Olympic gold, I’d probably like to do a bit of 2029 as a little victory lap, or a year where I just do fun races,” says Nuguse.

 

“Running is something that I love so much and has brought me so much joy, but it’s not something you can do forever.

 

“Having a deadline, you know you have to enjoy these years because you’re going to blink and, the next thing you know, it’s all over.”

 

Botswana’s first-ever Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo has clarified his relationship with Noah Lyles after calling him “arrogant” in an interview after defeating the Olympic 100m champion in the 200m last summer in Paris

 

Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles

Image: Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles congratulating each other at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Letsile Tebogo has clarified his “arrogant” comment aimed at Noah Lyles last summer after beating the American to gold in the 200m race at the Paris Olympics.

 

Tebogo blazed to a time of 19.46 seconds in the Paris 200m final, cementing himself as the fifth fastest man in history.

 

Three-time 200m world champion Lyles was the favourite for gold and appeared ready to do the 100m and 200m sprint double in his attempts to become only the second man to achieve the feat this side of the millennium – the other being Usain Bolt in 2008, 2012, and 2016. But moments after crossing the finish line in third, the American was taken away in a wheelchair before later revealing he had COVID-19.

 

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana celebrates winning gold in the men’s 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Associated Press)

 

In the post-race press conference, Botswana’s only Olympic champion raised eyebrows when he said he could not be the face of athletics because he was not “an arrogant or loud person like Noah”. However, Tebogo has now insisted there is no animosity between him and Lyles.

 

 

Lyles at the Paris 2024 Olympics

“When you get onto the track, it’s all about business,” said Tebogo. “[But] when we finish, you can be friends, life goes on.

 

 

“But the ‘arrogance’ … he’s good to sell our sport. With me, I’ll always shy away from doing that because that’s me.”

 

With Lyles aiming to reassert his dominance over 200m at the World Championships in Tokyo this year, Tebogo was asked about running with a target on his back.

 

“Everybody who’s there on the line-up, it’s a rival,” he said.

 

“You cannot eliminate somebody because he didn’t perform well at the 2024 Olympics or 2023 World Championships. It’s a new year, new beginnings, new goals.

 

“It’s a rivalry on the track, and then off the track, we are human beings at the end of the day.”

 

 

World Athlete of the Year to lead Relay Around the World Challenge ahead of Kids’ Athletics Day 2025

 

World Athletics is proud to announce Botswana’s Olympic gold medallist and World Athlete of the Year 2024 Letsile Tebogo as an ambassador for its Kids’ Athletics programme, a global initiative that uses the power of athletics to inspire children across the world to be more active.

 

Tebogo captured the world’s attention when he blazed his way to Olympic 200m glory in Paris in 19.46, making him the fifth-fastest man in history. As a young role model and a champion of the sport, the 21-year-old is committed to using his platform to encourage the next generation to embrace athletics for fun, fitness and personal growth.

 

Expressing his excitement about the role, Tebogo said: “Athletics has given me so many opportunities, and I want to inspire young people to believe in themselves, dream big and enjoy the sport. The Kids’ Athletics programme is about making athletics accessible and fun, and I am honoured to be part of this initiative to help develop future champions – on and off the track.”

 

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “I am always delighted when a talent like Letsile Tebogo emerges through our competition structures. It shows other young talented athletes the pathway. Letsile is confident, determined and humble and is already inspiring a whole generation of young potential athletes and children as they learn to make sport part of every day. This is why I am so pleased Letsile has agreed to be an ambassador for Kids’ Athletics.”

 

The collaboration will involve Tebogo taking part in the Relay Around the World Challenge ahead of this year’s Kids’ Athletics Day – an annual celebration of children being active and participating in athletics – which will take place on 7 May 2025.

 

This year’s theme, Relay Around the World, is inspired by the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China. The challenge is the biggest, most inclusive Kids’ Athletics participation activity yet, designed to inspire the athletes of tomorrow and get kids moving everywhere.

 

More information will be released when the campaign launches on 6 April 2025.

 

 

 

Letsile Tebogo, who beat Noah Lyles for Olympic gold medal, says: ‘I’d be a criminal by now without sports’

 

Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic 200m champion from Botswana, shared his journey from a crime-ridden neighborhood to athletic glory. Sports kept him focused and away from delinquency. Tebogo switched from football to athletics, eventually winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Now, he prepares for upcoming competitions, emphasizing the importance of not underestimating any rival.

NEW DELHI: Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic 200m champion from Botswana, shared his inspiring journey and the pivotal role athletics played in keeping him away from delinquency.

Growing up in a neighborhood plagued by criminal activities, Tebogo acknowledged that without the focus provided by sports, he could have easily fallen into the wrong path.

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“Sport has really helped me a lot because I think without sport … probably I would be a criminal by now,” 21-year-old Tebogo said. “In the neighbourhood where I grew up there were a lot of criminals, it was the only way to survive. But then with sport I knew I had to go to school and with training you are tired. You don’t have time to roam the streets and go into people’s houses.”

“So once I discovered that I tried to pull in a few friends of mine ..

. and now they are playing football,” he added. “We always talk about if this didn’t work out, where would we be?”

Tebogo credited athletics for giving him a purpose and keeping him occupied, preventing him from roaming the streets and engaging in unlawful activities.

He even encouraged his friends to take up sports like football, recognising the positive impact it had on their lives.

“I was more of a footballer, a left-winger.

The teachers at my primary school forced me into athletics. (Athletics) wasn’t that popular in Botswana back then, until the Commonwealth Games 2018. From my side I just wanted to see where it would take me. Athletics was just a part-time thing for me,” he added.

Despite athletics not being popular in Botswana at the time, Tebogo’s switch to the sport paid off handsomely when he beat legendary Noah Lyles to clinch the Olympic gold medal in the 200m event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, setting an African record of 19.46 seconds.

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While Tebogo clarified his previous comments about Noah Lyles’ “arrogance,” stating that it’s all business on the track.

“When you get onto the track, it’s all about business,” he added. “When we finish, you can be friends, life goes on. But the ‘arrogance’ (of Lyles)… he is good to sell our sport. But with me, I’ll always shy away from doing that because that’s me.”

As he prepares for the upcoming Diamond League meetings and the World Championships in Tokyo, Tebogo expects fierce competition from his rivals.

“Everybody who’s there on the lineup, it’s a rival. You cannot eliminate somebody because he didn’t perform well at the 2024 Olympics or 2023 World Championships,” he concluded.

When the sprint superstar tried to set another world record, he had an unexpected setback. Baldi, Ryan Baldi, Ryan Usain Bolt still retains the 100- and 200-meter world records despite retiring in 2017. However, he was never able to surpass the world record in one particular event. The Jamaican great earned eight Olympic gold medals and eleven World Championship golds throughout a 14-year professional career.

Throughout his career, Bolt was so dominant in the sport that the astonished audience jeered the winner when he finished third in his last individual race, the 2017 World Championship 100-meter final in London.

Despite all of his achievements, Bolt was never able to get hold of one record. and participated in a unique event that wasn’t part of the Olympic program.

Most people agree that one of the best athletes of all time is Usain Bolt. (Photo: Getty) Three quarters of the running track—two straights and one bend—were covered by the 300-meter course. Bolt attempted the infrequently held race in 2010 at the IAAF World Challenge in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

The world record at the time was set by American Olympic star Michael Johnson in 2000 in Pretoria, South Africa, with a time of 30.85 seconds. However, Bolt’s final time of 30.97 was slightly below Johnson’s mark.

He added, “I’m not in the shape I was last year or the year before,” following the 300-meter race. “I believe I would receive a record if I were in good health.”

I went too hard in the first 200m, which was the issue. The final 100m was too difficult. You can’t compare this distance to 200m because it’s slightly different.” Johnson’s record had been broken twice since. Wayde van Niekerk, a South African who won the gold medal in the 400m at the 2017 Olympics, ran 30.81. Last year, Letslie Tebogo, the current Olympic 200-meter champion, broke the world record with a time of 30.69.

“Thank you for always pushing me and telling me not to belittle myself. Thank you so much, mate