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• Tickets for Grand Slam Track™ go on sale today

  Tickets for the highly anticipated Grand Slam Track™, the revolutionary global stage for elite track and field competition, go on sale today, December 6, 2024, at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern. Founded by four-time U.S. Olympic champion Michael Johnson, who also serves as the league's commissioner, the event promises to redefine the sport with its inaugural season kicking off in Kingston, Jamaica, in April 2025.

  Johnson expressed his excitement about the league’s progress, stating: "Grand Slam Track™ continues to build momentum as we get closer to our inaugural 2025 season. The attention and recognition this league is gaining is incredible, and it continues to be clear that the best in the world want to be a part of it. We’re creating something truly special – a Festival of Speed – for fans to enjoy."

  The league will feature 48 top-tier athletes, known as Grand Slam Track™ Racers, competing in all four Slam events: Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. Among the confirmed stars are Jamaicans Ackera Nugent and Roshawn Clarke, alongside global icons such as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Fred Kerley, Marileidy Paulino, Grant Fisher, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, and Jereem Richards.

  Additionally, 48 Grand Slam Track™ Challengers will join individual Slams, selected based on recent performances and intriguing matchups. Racers and Challengers will compete across categories such as short sprints, hurdles, middle distance, and long distance, with each competitor racing twice during the three-day events.

  Grand Slam Track™ shifts the focus from time-based performances to head-to-head competition. Unlike traditional meets, there will be no rabbits or pacing lights. Each Slam is independently scored, with a $100,000 prize for the winner of each group and $10,000 for eighth place. A total of $12.6 million in prize money will be awarded annually, alongside base compensation and appearance fees.

  The league is also breaking with tradition by allowing athletes to compete in custom kits designed with their sponsors, free from traditional bibs or hip numbers. This unique approach emphasizes individuality and creativity while showcasing the athletes’ personalities.

  With over $30 million in financial commitments from investors, including Winners Alliance, the league aims to revolutionize fan engagement and elevate track and field’s biggest stars through innovative storytelling.

  Tickets for all four Slams are now available. Fans are encouraged to secure their seats to witness the Festival of Speed and see the world’s best athletes compete on this groundbreaking platform.

  For more information and to purchase tickets, visit grandslamtrack.com/events.

   

• “There’s levels to this”- Brown believes experience will give him the edge over Battle at UFC 310

  Jamaican UFC Welterweight Randy Brown is feeling good ahead of his next trip to the octagon at UFC 310 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday.

  The 34-year-old will take on surging contender Bryan Battle on the back of wins in seven of his last eight including three straight since a loss to Australian Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 284 on February 11 last year in Perth, Australia.

  “Life has been good. Just been grinding. Nothing’s changed for me,” Brown said at UFC media day on Wednesday.

  “I’ve just been on the clock, developing and getting better, doing what I need to do,” he added.

  In an ideal situation, Brown said he would’ve been fighting a ranked opponent on Saturday.

  However, with Battle being a fighter with star power and momentum, also coming into this fight on a three-fight win streak, Brown plans to use this opportunity as a springboard into bigger fights.

  “Yeah, for sure but I’ve seen them before. They come and they go. They get their moments. I’m happy for him and proud of him for doing what he’s doing but I do think he’s someone I can bounce off of to help me move forward,” said Brown.

  “He’s someone I need to get past in order to move to my ultimate goal,” he added.

  Brown was also complimentary of his opponent’s skills heading into Saturday, calling him “a tremendous athlete and martial artist.”

  “He puts it together well,” he said.

  “I’m most impressed with his durability. His ability to take damage and move forward. He’s a grinder,” Brown added.

  With that in mind, Brown believes his experience will lead him to a fourth victory in a row. Brown has been in the UFC since 2016 while Battle made his UFC debut in 2021.

  “With that being said, I’ve seen him before. I think that this is one of those fights that he’s going to run into someone that’s more experienced and has seen it all before and that’s going to be a shocker for him. There’s levels to this, ultimately,” he said.

   

   

   

• Olympic medalists Stona and Ricketts head nominees for RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year

  Olympic gold medalist Roje Stona and trailblazing triple jumper Shanieka Ricketts lead the charge as nominees for the prestigious RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards for 2024. The announcement was made during a televised ceremony at the studios of Television Jamaica on Wednesday, unveiling a star-studded lineup of athletes who shone on the global stage.

   Stona, who made history by clinching Jamaica’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s discus at the Paris 2024 Olympics, headlines the list of eight male nominees. The field is dominated by track and field stars, all of whom delivered remarkable performances throughout the year: Akeem Blake, bronze medalist in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow; Rasheed Broadbell, 110m hurdles bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics; Rajindra Campbell, shot put bronze medalist at the Paris Olympics; Rusheen McDonald, 400m bronze medalist at the World Indoor Championships; Carey McLeod, long jump bronze medalist at the World Indoor Championships; Wayne Pinnock, Olympic silver medalist in the long jump; and Kishane Thompson, 100m silver medalist at the Paris Olympics.

   On the women’s side, Shanieka Ricketts, who became the first Jamaican woman to medal in the triple jump at the Olympics, is joined by a stellar group of nominees: Rushell Clayton, national 400m hurdles champion and finalist at the Paris Olympics; Ackera Nugent, record-breaking hurdler with a new national and world-leading time of 12.24 seconds in the 100m hurdles; Nickisha Pryce, the first Jamaican woman to break the 49-second barrier in the 400m; and Llori Sharpe, cyclist and gold medalist in the Women’s Road Race at the Elite Caribbean Cycling Championships in Guyana, breaking the track and field dominance among nominees.

   The ceremony also revealed six nominees for The People’s Choice Performance of the Year, recognizing standout moments that captured the imagination of sports fans: Rasheed Broadbell for his bronze medal-winning run in the 110m hurdles at the Paris Olympics; Ackera Nugent for her world-leading 12.24-second run in the Diamond League; Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw for a spectacular goal against Liverpool in the Women’s Super League; Roje Stona for his historic gold-medal throw in the men’s discus at the Olympics; Kishane Thompson for his 100m silver-medal sprint at the Paris Olympics; and Chavany Willis for his stunning goal for Arnett Gardens against Portmore United in the Jamaica Premier League.

   The winners will be announced at the RJR Gleaner National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards Gala on Friday, January 17, 2025, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. This prestigious event will celebrate the exceptional achievements of Jamaica’s athletes, recognizing those who have left an indelible mark on the nation’s sporting legacy in 2024.