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Several Team GB athletes earned impressive paydays at the Philadelphia Slam as part of the Grand Slam Track season at the weekend, including Matthew Hudson-Smith and Josh Kerr
Josh Kerr earned an impressive payday at the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia(Image: Michael Pimentel/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Several Team GB athletes earned huge paydays at the Philadelphia Slam as part of the Grand Slam Track tournament devised by legendary sprinter Michael Johnson.
The format sees top track stars compete in two disciplines across a weekend, such as 100m and 200m sprints, in one of 12 combined race categories. Part of a four-date schedule, the inaugural slam occurred in Kingston, Jamaica, in April before heading to Miami last month. However, Philadelphia proved the most lucrative yet for the British contingent.
Although none of the athletes were competing under Team GB, Josh Kerr avenged his Paris Games defeat to Cole Hocker, finishing ahead of the American by 0.07 seconds in the men’s 1500m race. The 27-year-old savoured victory and earned a cool £37k ($50K) for coming second overall in the short distance category, following his fifth-place finish in the 800m event. Fellow Brit Elliot Giles received £7.4k ($10k) for his efforts in the same group.
The standout Team GB athlete in Philadelphia was Matthew Hudson-Smith, who topped the men’s long sprints group for the second time in three Grand Slam Track events. The 400m Olympic silver medalist triumphed in his specialist discipline and came fifth in the 200m to take home the £74k ($100k) grand prize.
Zharnell Hughes clinched the £37k ($50k) runner-up spot in the short sprints category. The 29-year-old came third in the men’s 100m race and narrowly clinched second in the 200m, but was beaten to top spot by the USA’s Kenny Bednarek, who won both events.
Matthew Hudson-Smith celebrated winning the long sprints group in Philadelphia(Image: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Georgia Hunter Bell received one of the best paydays among the British women competing in Philadelphia. The Olympic bronze medalist came second in the women’s 800m and fourth in the 1500m event, but sealed third overall in the women’s short distance category to earn an impressive £22.1k ($30k).
The 31-year-old received only slightly more than Dina Asher-Smith’s payday in the women’s short sprints group. Fifth place in the 100m and fourth in the 200m saw Asher-Smith finish the weekend fourth on the leaderboard, gaining £18.4k ($25k).
Twin sisters Laviai and Lina Nielsen also earned a combined £29.5k ($40k). Lina Nielsen won the 400m race and came sixth in the 400m hurdles, ending the weekend in third spot and receiving £22.1k ($30k). Meanwhile, Laviai Nielsen competed in the 200m and 400m sprints and earned £7.4k ($10k) after coming eighth in her category.
Despite only Hudson-Smith claiming an overall victory, it was a significant improvement on what British athletes had earned from the previous two Grand Slam Track events. The British athletes’ combined earnings from the Philadelphia Slam were £225k ($305k).
Lina Nielsen (R) won the 400m event in Philadelphia(Image: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
This was considerably higher than their previous highest tally of £164k ($222.5k) in Kingston. The British highlights from the inaugural event in April included Hudson-Smith’s first long sprints victory and Hughes again taking second place in the short sprints.
The Team GB athletes earned slightly less during last month’s event in Miami, taking home £156k ($212.5k). However, a huge chunk of that prize pot included Kerr’s £74k ($100k) winnings.
The Grand Slam Track season will conclude at the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, with the event being held from June 27 to 29. At the end of the final meet, one male and one female athlete will be crowned the Racer of the Year based on their cumulative points totals.
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