Four Slam Champions Crowned on Sold-Out Night 2 of Grand Slam Track Miami

MIAMI – May 3, 2025 – The addition of the reigning 200-meter Olympic gold and bronze medalists to the lineup didn’t stop Melissa Jefferson-Wooden from winning her second straight Slam Championship. In front of a sold-out crowd at Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Jefferson-Wooden was one of four Slam Champions crowned on Saturday night, the second night of Grand Slam Track Miami. Each takes home $100,000.

After winning last night’s 100m, Jefferson-Wooden needed to place third or better in tonight’s 200m to successfully defend her title. Reigning Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas didn’t make it easy. Thomas, who was disappointed with her fourth place finish in the 100m yesterday, stormed to victory in her specialty event in 21.95, the second-fastest time in the world this year. But, despite a slow start, Jefferson-Wooden clawed her way back into third to secure the 100K payday.

“I feel like Grand Slam is doing what it set out to do and that’s putting the best against each other every single time we step on the track,” said Jefferson-Wooden, the league’s first ever back-to-back Slam Champion. “It’s all about right now and who has it on that day.”

“I knew that I had to win and I needed some other things to shake out in my favor, which they just didn’t,” said Thomas, who was the Women’s Long Sprints Slam Champion in Kingston. “I’ve just got to come back hungrier and take this loss on the chin and do better.”

Jefferson-Wooden also had a surprise visitor to celebrate. Stephan Washington Jr., her cousin, flew in to watch her compete. Washington Jr. is serving in the U.S. Army, and currently stationed in South Korea, on his second tour of duty in the last 15 months. This was the first time he’d ever seen her race in-person. Jefferson-Wooden’s Slam Championship victory made it more than worth the trip. You can see footage of their emotional reunion at this link here.

Jefferson was one of three Slam Champions who didn’t break the tape today. In the Men’s Long Sprints, Jereem Richards took the title after being narrowly defeated by Jacory Patterson in the 400m. Patterson’s time of 43.98 is a world lead and a personal best.

“It’s crazy. I can’t even put it into words,” said Patterson, who works full time loading trucks at UPS. “Everything we are doing has just been hitting.”

“Forget about me, this man ran 43,” Richards excitedly told reporters as he pointed to Patterson after the race. “I felt like I was good. Jacory waited for me to kick and then kicked after me.”

Following his exciting victory in last night’s 1500m, Great Britain’s Josh Kerr set a personal best of 1:45.01 in the 800m to finish fifth in the race. But, it was enough to narrowly win the Men’s Short Distance Race Group.

“I think progress was definitely the name of the game this week. That allowed me to come in pretty relaxed and just ready to fight for wins,” said Kerr, who was seeking redemption after a disappointing performance in Kingston. “I definitely think we got some more sharpening to do before the end of the Grand Slam season. We’re having fun with it.”

The 800m was won by Canada’s Marco Arop who, despite finishing seventh last night, performed strong enough to place second in the group. His time of 1:43.69 is the fastest outdoor 800m in the world this year.

Ackera Nugent of Jamaica was the evening’s only athlete to win the race and the Slam Championship in the same night. Nugent, who finished third in last night’s 100mH, won the 100m in a new personal best of 11.09 to be named Slam Champion of the Women’s Short Hurdles Race Group. The $100,000 comes as a late birthday present for Nugent, who turned 23 this week.

“I didn’t do what I wanted to do in the hurdles, but I just know that I needed to stay focused,” said Nugent, the 2025 World Indoor bronze medalist in the 60m hurdles. “You can’t reflect on the bad. You have to focus on the good and work in the areas that you can correct.”

Masai Russell, who set an American record of 12.17 in the 100mH last night, finished second in the group.

In other events, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone remains undefeated in the Women’s Long Hurdles. The world-record holder won the 400mH in 52.07, beating Jamaica’s Andrenette Knight by more than two seconds.

Kenny Bednarek also remains undefeated. He won the 100m in a wind-aided 9.79 to continue his dominance in the Men’s Short Sprints. With a barely illegal wind speed of +2.4, six out of eight athletes in the race ran under 10 seconds.

Trey Cunningham made his Grand Slam Track debut by setting a personal best of 13.00 to win the 110mH. Cunningham beat defending Slam Champion Sasha Zhoya by six one-hundredths of a second. The winning time is the second fastest in the world this year.

Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu outsprinted American Nikki Hiltz to win the 1500m in 4:06.96. The Women’s Short Distance Race Group will compete in the 800m tomorrow.

Full results from Grand Slam Track’s Miami Slam can be found here. Flash quotes from the athletes can be found here. The final day of the Miami Slam will crown eight more Slam Champions. Competition kicks off Sunday at 3:42 p.m. EDT.

Grand Slam Track™ is being broadcast in 198 countries and territories worldwide. For information on where to watch, click here. For further information, please follow @GrandSlamTrack on all social media platforms, and visit grandslamtrack.com.

Reported by Jay Holder for Grand Slam Track