Latest news with #GrandSlamTrackMiami
The Star
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Athletics-Gold medallist Thomas harassed by bettor at Grand Slam Track
FILE PHOTO: May 3, 2025; Miramar, FL, USA; Gabby Thomas aka Gabrielle Thomas (USA) reacts after winning the short sprints women's 200m in 21.95 during the Grand Slam Track Miami at Ansin Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo NEW YORK (Reuters) -Three-times Olympic gold medallist Gabby Thomas said she was verbally abused at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia last weekend, the latest incident of harassment the American has reported this year. Thomas, who won gold in the 200 metres, and 4x100m and 4x400m relays in Paris, said in a post on X that a man followed her around the track while she took pictures for fans and signed autographs, shouting personal insults at her. "Anybody who enables him online is gross," wrote Thomas. Thomas' post was in response to another on X which contained a video of a person heckling Thomas while she was on the starting line, shouting "you're a choke artist - you're going down, Gabby". "I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win," the social media user wrote, with a screenshot of two multi-leg bets on the FanDuel sportsbook platform. Grand Slam Track did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One of American track's brightest stars, Thomas catapulted to mainstream fame after her breakout performance in Paris, gracing the cover of American "Vogue" magazine and appearing on U.S. talk shows. But Thomas has also suffered the darker side of fame, describing on TikTok this year how she was stalked by a group of men at several airports, as social media gives female athletes greater exposure. The incident at Grand Slam Track also reflected a growing link between sports betting and harassment, with female tennis players including Caroline Garcia pointing to "unhealthy betting" as a key culprit. Major tennis governing bodies moved to combat online abuse published last year a report that attributed nearly half of abusive social media posts to angry gamblers. "Thank you for pointing out this disgusting behavior," retired former world 10,000 metres silver medallist and NBC Sports commentator Kara Goucher wrote on X. "You are exposing the crap that women go through and will eventually help other women as well." (Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York, editing by Ed Osmond)
Straits Times
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
McLaughlin-Levrone impresses in 100m debut in Philadelphia
FILE PHOTO: May 4, 2025; Miramar, FL, USA; Sydney McLaughlin (USA) wins the women's long hurdles 400m in 49.69 during the Grand Slam Track Miami at Ansin Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ventured beyond her usual 400 metres event, clocking an impressive 11.21 seconds to take second place in her first professional 100 metres flat race at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia on Sunday. The American four-time Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400 metres hurdles, accustomed to dominating the one-lap event, found herself beaten by Jamaica's Ackera Nugent, who won in 11.11 seconds. Nugent's victory completed a weekend double, securing the women's short hurdles group with a perfect 24 points following her success in Saturday's 100 metres hurdles. American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden scorched the track with a blistering time of 10.73 seconds in the 100 metres, cementing her victory in the short sprints group with 24 points after her 200 metres triumph on Saturday. Meanwhile, Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino dominated the women's long sprints group with 24 points, having won the 200 metres in 22.46 seconds. Britain's Lina Nielsen also shone, capturing the 400 metres hurdles in 52.60 seconds, while Etiopia Diribe Welteji secured victory in the 800 metres in 1:58.94. In the men's events, American Kenny Bednarek shaved one-hundredth of a second off his personal best in the 100 metres, finishing in 9.86 seconds and took the short sprints group getting 24 points. Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Josh Kerr from Britain beat gold medallist Cole Hocker by just seven-hundredths of a second in a thrilling 1500 metres race, finishing in 3:34.44. American Trevor Bassitt provided late drama in the 400 metres hurdles, outduelling Alison dos Santos and Chris Robinson to win in 45.47 seconds. He also won the men's long hurdles group with 20 points. There were also wins for Americans Trey Cunningham in the short hurdles group 100 metres with a time of 10.36 seconds and Nico Young in the men's 3000 metres in his first Grand Slam Track appearance, while Dominican Alexander Ogando took the men's 200 metres with a time of 20.13 seconds. The Grand Slam Track season will conclude with its fourth meeting in Los Angeles on June 27-29. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Athletics-McLaughlin-Levrone impresses in 100m debut in Philadelphia
FILE PHOTO: May 4, 2025; Miramar, FL, USA; Sydney McLaughlin (USA) wins the women's long hurdles 400m in 49.69 during the Grand Slam Track Miami at Ansin Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo (Reuters) -Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ventured beyond her usual 400 metres event, clocking an impressive 11.21 seconds to take second place in her first professional 100 metres flat race at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia on Sunday. The American four-time Olympic champion and world record holder in the 400 metres hurdles, accustomed to dominating the one-lap event, found herself beaten by Jamaica's Ackera Nugent, who won in 11.11 seconds. Nugent's victory completed a weekend double, securing the women's short hurdles group with a perfect 24 points following her success in Saturday's 100 metres hurdles. American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden scorched the track with a blistering time of 10.73 seconds in the 100 metres, cementing her victory in the short sprints group with 24 points after her 200 metres triumph on Saturday. Meanwhile, Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino dominated the women's long sprints group with 24 points, having won the 200 metres in 22.46 seconds. Britain's Lina Nielsen also shone, capturing the 400 metres hurdles in 52.60 seconds, while Etiopia Diribe Welteji secured victory in the 800 metres in 1:58.94. In the men's events, American Kenny Bednarek shaved one-hundredth of a second off his personal best in the 100 metres, finishing in 9.86 seconds and took the short sprints group getting 24 points. Meanwhile, Olympic silver medallist Josh Kerr from Britain beat gold medallist Cole Hocker by just seven-hundredths of a second in a thrilling 1500 metres race, finishing in 3:34.44. American Trevor Bassitt provided late drama in the 400 metres hurdles, outduelling Alison dos Santos and Chris Robinson to win in 45.47 seconds. He also won the men's long hurdles group with 20 points. There were also wins for Americans Trey Cunningham in the short hurdles group 100 metres with a time of 10.36 seconds and Nico Young in the men's 3000 metres in his first Grand Slam Track appearance, while Dominican Alexander Ogando took the men's 200 metres with a time of 20.13 seconds. The Grand Slam Track season will conclude with its fourth meeting in Los Angeles on June 27-29. (Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Neil Fullick)
NBC Sports
05-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jacory Patterson leads world in 400m sprinting while working overnights
Jacory Patterson hopes that being the world's fastest 400m sprinter so far this year will ultimately allow him to quit his overnight job loading UPS trucks. Patterson, 25, notched the biggest race win of his life at Grand Slam Track Miami — taking Saturday's 400m in 43.98 seconds, a personal best and the world's best time since last August. He finished second overall in the men's 200m-400m sprints group in Miami, having also placed sixth in Friday's 200m. So he earned $50,000 for the meet. Both races took place in the early evening around times when Patterson, when he's home, is often sleeping in between training and loading. 'The goal was to come out here and make some money so I can just focus on training and quit that job,' he said of working for UPS near his base of Columbia, South Carolina, where he's coached by three-time Grenada Olympian Alleyne Francique. Patterson, a 2023 University of Florida graduate, wakes up around 8:30 on a typical morning training as a professional sprinter. He sleeps later in the day, gets up again at 9:45 p.m., starts his truck-loading job at 10:45 and works that until 4 or 4:30 a.m. On the track, he lowered his personal best in the 400m from 44.81 (from 2021) to 43.98 over the last three weeks. He went from ranking outside the top 100 fastest men in U.S. history to becoming the 15th American to ever break 44 seconds. In days leading up to races, Patterson scales back the overnight shifts to adjust his body. "(Working two jobs) just helps my mental a lot because it just lets me know I can do it,' he said. 'Can't nobody tell me different.' Patterson hopes the recent success is enough to earn another invite to a future Grand Slam Track meet. The series concludes its 2025 season in Philadelphia (May 30-June 1) and Los Angeles (June 27-29), both live on Peacock. Group winners at each meet receive $100,000. He joked Saturday about one day leaving the UPS job, but didn't announce a definitive decision. 'I'm going to celebrate this for today,' Patterson said. 'Then when I get back to Columbia on Tuesday, it's back to work.' Nick Zaccardi,
The Star
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Athletics-Bednarek, McLaughlin-Levrone win second Grand Slam titles as startup picks up pace
May 4, 2025; Miramar, FL, USA; Michael Johnson (left) poses with Slam champions Sydney McLaughlin (women's long hurdles), Grant Fisher (long distance), Paulino Marileidy (women's long sprints), Kenny Bednarek (short sprints), Alison Dos Santos (long hurdles), Agnes Jebet Ngetich (women's long distance), Trey Cunningham (short hurdles) and Freweyni Hailu (women's short distance) during the Grand Slam Track Miami at Ansin Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images (Reuters) -Americans Kenny Bednarek and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone each smashed their way to a second straight Grand Slam Track title on Sunday, as the novel circuit wrapped up its Miami meet in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The Michael Johnson-fronted startup lured top talent with big prize money and after facing criticism over poor attendance at its inaugural Kingston meet, the fans turned up at Ansin Sports Complex for the second of four meets set for this year. Bednarek, who won Saturday's 100 metres in a wind-aided 9.79 seconds, clinched the men's short sprints group on Sunday when he broke the tape in the 200 metres in 19.84, nearly three-tenths of a second ahead of Briton Zharnel Hughes. "I'm going to be dominant this year," said the 26-year-old twice Olympic silver medalist, who is $200,000 richer with his wins in Miami and Kingston. "I'm right where I need to be." Grand Slam offers a twist on the traditional track meet, as athletes face off in 12 groups - men's and women's short sprints, long sprints, short hurdles, long hurdles, short distance and long distance - and compete in two races per meet. The point totals from those runs determine the champion of each group, with a maximum of 12 points up for grabs per race. The 400-metre hurdles record-holder McLaughlin-Levrone won her signature event on Friday and jogged through the finish of the 400-metre flat in 49.69 on Sunday - nearly two seconds ahead of American heptathlete Anna Hall - to win the long hurdles group. Grant Fisher, who picked up a pair of bronze medals in Paris, added to the home crowd's joy as he clinched the men's long distance group with 20 points total after a gutsy 13:40.32 win in the 5,000 metres. Fisher made a break for it with four laps to go and ran a scorching 3:57 over the final mile after finishing runner-up in Friday's 3,000 metres. "I wanted to turn this into a strength race, which is my specialty," said Fisher, who also won in Kingston. "Today I turned it into my race and got it done." Dominican 400 metre Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino swept the women's long sprints group, winning the 200 metre in a national record 22.30 on Sunday after taking her signature event on Friday, while the 2022 world champion Alison dos Santos stayed unbeaten in the men's long hurdles group. Ethiopia's twice indoor gold winner Freweyni Hailu took the women's short distance group with 18 points, Kenyan Agnes (18) Ngetich won the women's long distance and American Trey Cunningham (24) took the men's short hurdles. (Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Rod Nickel)
