Was Grand Slam Track a sign of contests this season?

Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi during the Grand Slam Track competition in Kingston, Jamaica, on Sunday. [Courtesy/AFP] There were strong talking points as top athletics stars kicked off the outdoor track season in style at the inaugural Grand Slam in Kingston, Jamaica. The three days of action were characterised by big surprises as it produced winners who walked home with handsome prize money. Battles for points in two different races for each invited athlete gave stars the platform to test their limits in new events. Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi, an 800m specialist, for instance, sprinted to a stunning victory in 1500m. In an inaugural meet that assembled Olympic and world medalists as well as potentials, a hot contest was inevitable in the first leg of the league. And the strong fields wrote history in Kingston ahead of three more similiar thrillers in Miami early in May, Philadelphia (later in May and early June) and the final meet in Los Angeles in late June. The mouthwatering prize money raised the stakes even higher as global big shots get ready for the Diamond League Despite losing the top position in his signature race (800m) to his main rival world champion Marco Arop of Canada, Wanyonyi ended the Kingston Slam the richest in the short distances. The 20-year-old star topped the charts in the category after chalking up victory and scooping the maximum 12 points in 1500m in a personal best of 3:35.18 and second highest number of points (8) in 800m (1:46.44) during the final day on Sunday night. Ranking top, Wanyonyi earned Sh12.9 million top prize as Arop, his main challenger in the last season took home Sh6.4 million for placing second with 12 points in 800m and three points he collected after finishing sixth in 1500m, which was won by the Kenyan star. Olympic bronze medallist Yared Nuguse of the USA was among athletes who scored highly in the Grand Slam Track event in Kingston, earning 11 points after finishing second in 1500m and sixth in 800m. The top position in the women's short distances went to Ethiopia. With 12 points, Susan Ejore, had to represent the Kenyan contingent invited to the Grand Slam Track to the best of her ability after Mary Moraa bowed out because of an illness that affected her performance in 800m during the day one on Friday. She was behind American Nikki Hiltz, who scored 18 points, on the charts. 10km world record holder Agnes Jebet Ngetich maintained a second place in the long distances and eventually ranked position two with 16 points. Olympic silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi ranked sixth after placing fifth in 5000m and fourth in 3000m.

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Was Grand Slam Track a sign of contests this season?

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