Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone To Test Herself In Philly Meet

Just over $6 million dollars in prize money has been handed out to professional track athletes over the first two installments of Grand Slam Track’s inaugural season, and with the third series in the league’s debut year approaching May 31 in Philadelphia, some changes have been made.

The league announced on May 15 a drastic move, shortening the schedule from three days to two while eliminating the men’s and women’s 5,000 meter run entirely.

While the decision condensed the schedule and added more events to the daily lineup, it ultimately won’t change the broadcast time, with the meet still sticking to its less than two hour run time – though prize money for long distance runners will be cut in half.

With 11 events on tap, Grand Slam Track will shorten its window between races – a space typically reserved for commentary – and focus more on the efforts on the track. Meanwhile, the move also will save Grand Slam Track $262,500 in prize money overall.

Here are the top three storylines heading into Grand Slam Track: Philadelphia.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Will Vie For The Top Prize In The Short Hurdles At Grand Slam Track

The biggest news heading into Philadelphia is McLaughlin-Levrone’s decision to drop down from a comfortable position in the long hurdles category to the much more competitive short hurdles.

McLaughlin-Levrone, a four-time Olympic champion and the 400 meter hurdles world record-holder, is arguably the most accomplished track athlete on the globe, so there’s no doubt she will be competitive in the bracket.

In Miami, after blowing away the fields, she claimed a world lead in the 400 meter hurdles and the sixth-best time in the 400 meters worldwide.

But after Masai Russell set a new American record in the 100 meter hurdles in Miami with a time of 12.17 – while Tia Jones ran an equally impressive clocking of 12.19 seconds – the story here is how the 25-year-old McLaughlin-Levrone will adapt.

The last time the Olympic long hurdles champion ran down in distance was in May of 2024, with the New Jersey native clocking an impressive time of 12.71 in the women’s 100 meter hurdles at the Occidental Invitational in California. But while it was a time that was competitive on the world stage, 41 women ran faster that year alone. And compared to McLaughlin-Levrone’s personal best time of 12.65 from 2021, the fight for the line in Philadelphia will be a hunt between lionesses.

That being said, McLaughlin-Levrone will also run the 100 meters for the first time in her professional career. The last time she ran the flat distance, in fact, was in 2018 at Kentucky when she laid down a wind-aided 11.07 (+3.5) at the Tennessee Relays.

It’s an event she will have great odds to win, with the top times over the first two events coming in 11.54 (Danielle Williams) and 11.09 (Ackera Nugent).

Can McLaughlin-Levrone mitigate the world’s best hurdlers in the 100 meter hurdles and come out with her third straight prize haul of $100,000?

Will Fred Kerley Race at Grand Slam Track?

Just days before Grand Slam Track: Miami was set to unfold in early May, the American sprinter and Olympic medalist was the subject of his second arrest in less than a year.

The 30-year-old Kerley was involved in an altercation at the team hotel allegedly involving an ex-girlfriend of his, with ESPN reporting she was a track and field athlete participating in the meet. Previously, Kerley was arrested in South Florida in January following a dispute with a police officer.

Kerley did not compete in the league’s second series – and the league did not comment on the matter, either — but all indications might point to him being back for Philadelphia.

The Texan released a statement on May 4, clarifying his arrest was “not due to any criminal act. Rather it resulted from my decision to exercise reman (sic) silent until league counsel was present. I chose not to speak to law enforcement without my attorney, and for that reason alone. (sic) I was booked.”

Kerley was back to the track at the Franson Last Chance meet in Azusa, California on May 9-10, securing two 100 meter performances of 9.87 (+2.9) and 9.98 (+1.8). And this weekend, he’s scheduled to run at the Diamond League Rabat in Morocco, where he’s entered in the men’s 100 meters.

Kerley finished fourth in the inaugural short sprints category in Kingston, Jamaica, clocking times of 10.30 and 20.39 for 100 meters and 200 meters. American Kenny Bednarek, meanwhile, has won the first two series outright and has taken home two straight $100,000 paydays.

World Indoor Champion Josh Hoey, Olympian Hobbs Kessler Commit To Grand Slam Track

The short distance category got a lot more interesting with the inclusion of two red-hot stars.

In the case of Josh Hoey, a 25-year-old hailing from just outside Philadelphia, he’s on the run of a lifetime, with a recent World indoor title and an American record at 800 meters in 1:43.24.

In February, he also netted a career best at 1,500 meters, clocking a time of 3:33.66 that gave him a top 20 worldwide effort. The Pennsylvania native opened his outdoor campaign in April on the road in Germany, posting a time of 3:59.57 for the mile.

Which is notable, because the 22-year-old Kessler was in the same race and opened his season in 3:54.34, finishing second overall to Emmanuel Wanyonyi – who won Grand Slam Track’s debut men’s short distance category in Kingston, Jamaica.

Six degrees of separation, am I right?

Kessler’s indoor season was full of successes, too, such as his historic mark of 3:46.90 from the mile in February at the Millrose Games – in a race where he went under the American record but was beat by Yared Nuguse – and a U.S. indoor championship at the 1,500 meters in 3:38.82.

The Michigan native, however, might be just as good in the 800 meters, where he owns a best of 1:43.64 from the U.S. Olympic Trials in June – Kessler ultimately qualified for the U.S. team in both the 800 meters and the 1,500 meters.

Both Hoey and Kessler will make the short distance category a super-card matchup against the likes of Olympic champion Cole Hocker and medalists Josh Kerr and Nuguse.

Considering both are multi-talented racers with crossover ability between racers, they might just have what it takes to net big paydays, too.

You can find Cory Mull on X at bycorymull and read more of his stories on Grand Slam Track in Forbes’ SportsMoney site.