Gabby Thomas became historic as the inaugural winner. during the inaugural Grand Slam Track competition On Friday, following his struggle with the "tough choice" to compete in the 200m and 400m sprints.
Thomas blazed to victory In the 200 meters with a time of 22.62 seconds, she secured 12 points and positioned herself for a possible $100,000 reward in the women's long sprint events. Olympian managed to narrowly beat Marileidy Paulino in the competition, even though neither Sha'Carri Richardson nor Noah Lyles were present at the event , since both chose to opt out.
This fresh athletics competition groups some of the globe's top sprinters together, challenging them across two distances, with points awarded based on their finish. Thomas was caught in a dilemma over choosing between the short sprints group (100m/200m) and the long sprints, ultimately opting for the latter.
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"It was a challenging choice to make." Clearly, I have the option for short sprints or longer ones, and my coach and I had a discussion where we decided which events I would participate in," Thomas explained. Citius Mag The 400 meters is somewhat more enjoyable to race at the beginning of the season, but ultimately, it wasn't significant.
When I consider competing against Salwa Eid Naser and Paulino, I realize this will push me immensely; it’s bound to be an arduous contest where I’ll test my limits facing only the top athletes. Embracing this challenge head-on, I’m ready for whatever comes, with luck propelling me to excel under pressure.
Thomas is excelling in the 200 meters and has put forth a strong showing in the 400 meters, positioning herself strongly for the top prize. In the 200 meters, where Thomas boasts her status as the reigning Olympic champion, lies her strongest event; meanwhile, competing in the 400 meters carries more uncertainty for this 28-year-old competitor.
I am quite confident about my pace, particularly in the 200 meters, which is my preferred race. I believe I'll be the frontrunner simply because it's what I excel at," Thomas said additionally. "It’s important to push your limits to achieve success.
GST, under the co-founding eye of Michael Johnson, who won four Olympic golds, kicked off its inaugural event in Kingston, Jamaica on April 4. Throughout the year, athletes will compete in four series slams across Miami, Philadelphia , and Los Angeles , besides the opening city. This year, a prize pool of $12.6 million is up for grabs, offering athletes $100,000 for leading the pack, with diminishing returns based on their finish - but no one goes home empty-handed, as even last place secures a $10,000 purse.
Each showdown will host 48 competitors squaring off against 48 challengers, with all racers contracted for a yearly salary plus potential winnings. Johnson, drawing from his sprinting days and the financial hurdles many face in athletics, aimed to create a lucrative sporting event through GST.
"Most of the athletes suffer greatly because they aren't able to realize any value," Johnson said. "Those athletes end up in situations where, many years later, and sometimes even in their careers, they're wondering, 'Should I have made this choice? I love this sport, but I'm suffering financially, I'm suffering mentally trying to make a living in this sport."
Johnson aims to take on the long-standing Diamond League and steer athletics towards a brighter future. Thomas heard about Johnson’s bold ambitions during the Paris Olympics and has fully supported him since then. She believes this could mark a significant shift for the sport.
“I’m genuinely thrilled because my introduction to Grand Slam dates back ages, as far as I can recall from those early discussions during the Paris Olympics,” Thomas mentioned. “It was then that I first grasped the essence of this idea and found it utterly amazing. As an athlete with a passion for competition, I thrive when facing off against top-tier rivals, so I am eagerly anticipating seeing all these plans materialize.”