6 days ago
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Sprint icons Asafa Powell and Justin Gatlin have expressed their support for the inaugural Grand Slam Track (GST) meet set to begin today at the National Stadium.
Powell and Gatlin are two of the well-known names in men’s sprinting history as they both sit within the top five fastest men of all time over the 100 metres.
Speaking at the GST press conference yesterday at the AC Hotel Kingston, Powell said the decision to host the first-ever slam of the new professional track league stands as a major achievement for Jamaica’s track and field.
“It is very important to see this mostly because it is the first of its kind, and the first one is being held here in Jamaica. I am very proud of that to know that the Grand Slam chose Jamaica to be the first, and we all know Jamaicans love track and field,” Powell told The Gleaner.
He urged fans to turn out in their numbers to give the inaugural meet their support as it could prove to be an endorsement of Jamaica’s ability to host international events.
“I’m just looking for the outcome and for the Jamaican public to support the event,” the former world 100m record holder said.
“Like I said, it’s the first of its kind. The athletes are here, it’s a three-day event, and I encourage all Jamaicans to come out for all three days, full the stadium and make the athletes feel like they would want to come here again.”
Powell said GST represents a new opportunity for track athletes to become part of an innovative project in the sport.
He believes that the athletes who are yet to sign on to the league will be closely watching its progress and could join its ranks as the league continues to grow.
“It is a great opportunity, and I think athletes should go ahead and jump on it. I’m sure a lot of athletes will want to see how the first year goes, but I think it’s a great opportunity. The concept and idea behind it is really good.”
OWN IT
Gatlin, an American Olympian, believes that the GST, along with the growth in social media, will open new doors for athletes in the sport.
He has urged the current generation to capitalise on their opportunities and to develop their own spaces to succeed.
“Grand Slam is bringing something that we haven’t seen in a long time since the golden years, which is high energy, high talent, and going head to head against each other,” said Gatlin.
“We never had social media to the level that it is now when we were coming up and running elite times. So I say, don’t forget to own it, create your own platforms, know exactly what you’re trying to do and what you’re trying to represent,” he urged.
“But don’t forget the most important part, going out there and winning and running fast times because that’s what people will want to see.”
GST begins today at the National Stadium and will run through to Sunday, with select athletes competing in various race groups to earn points based on their performances.
At the end of the three-day competition, the top athlete from each race group will be crowned the Kingston Slam champion.
English (US) ·