Grand Slam Track has confirmed Kingston, Jamaica will be one of the four cities that will host one of the weekend Slams in the professional track league’s inaugural season in 2025. The Slam will be held at the National Stadium at Independence Park on April 4th, 5th and 6th.

Here’s what you need to know:

– In June, Grand Slam Track announced Los Angeles as one of the four host cities for the three-day meets expected to start in Spring 2025. Kingston is the second city confirmed by the league.

– National Stadium in Jamaica hosted professional athletes with the Racers Grand Prix and Jamaican Championships in June. It was also the site of a series of all-comers meets for athletes to hit qualifying marks for the Olympic Games.

– National Stadium is famously packed with fans for the five days it hosts the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March.

– Grand Slam Track’s events will take place over three days with athletes racing twice. Athletes will receive points for their finishing position in each race. The athlete with the highest points total after both events will win the Slam and the $100,000 grand prize.

– Tickets will go on sale on Friday, Dec. 6th at 10 a.m. local time in Jamaica.

What They Had To Say

Commissioner Michael Johnson: “We are thrilled to be bringing Grand Slam Track to Kingston. Jamaica has such a strong history in this sport. The talent and the love for the sport here make it a perfect fit for what we’re building. It’s going to be an incredible event, and we’re proud to have Kingston as one of our four Slams in our inaugural season to kick this whole thing off.”

Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association President Garth Gayle: "We are proud and excited that Kingston has been selected to host the inaugural Grand Slam Track event. As the local governing body for the sport, we see this as a testament to our past and present athletes, whose achievements and legacy have established Jamaica as the track capital of the world. This event also marks an important milestone for the development of our future athletes, who will benefit from the opportunity to see the world’s greatest track stars up close and personal on a local calendar.”

The Importance Of America

While in Zurich for the Diamond League final, our very own Anderson Emerole caught up with Grand Slam Track Commissioner Michael Johnson and asked when other cities would be announced for the league. He underscored the importance of activating the sport in America.

“We have a heavy focus on the U.S.,” Johnson says. “That is a real priority for us. We feel like there's a real opportunity to grow the sport in the U.S. It’s been a constant mystery for decades now how the U.S. can absolutely dominate the medal table at global championships and have the best athletes in this sport, yet we can't grow the fan base in the U.S. I think we can do that now, it's a real focus for us.”