‘Kung Fu’ Kenny sweeps short sprints
Published:Sunday | April 6, 2025 | 12:10 AMGregory Bryce - Staff Reporter
AMERICAN SPEEDSTER Kenneth ‘Kung Fu’ Bednarek became the first racer at Grand Slam Track (GST) to amass a maximum 24 points in their group after he won both the 100m and 200m in the men’s short sprints.
Bednarek won the Kingston Grand Slam title after finishing first in the men’s 200m last night in 20.07 seconds.
He finished ahead of Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain, 20.37, and United States teammate Fred Kerley, 20.39.
In the overall race group points standings, Bednarek raced to an unassailable 24 points, beating out Hughes, 14, and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville, 12.
After his dominant performances, Bednarek said it was mission accomplished as he achieved his goal of finishing as the Grand Slam winner.
“I feel great,” he said. “I came here to show out and that’s what I did.
“It’s an opener and I came out with two wins and that’s all you can ask for. I can clean up some things here and there but an opener’s an opener and a win is a win.”
Olympic 400m silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith claimed the men’s long sprints Grand Slam title after his impressive performances in the 200m and 400m events.
Hudson-Smith crossed the line first in the 200m, stopping the clock at 20.77 seconds to better Trinidadian Jereem Richards, 20.81, and Deandre Watkin of Jamaica, 20.91.
Combined with his second-placed finish in the 400m on Friday, Hudson-Smith claimed the Grand Slam title with 20 points, ahead of Christopher Bailey, who amassed 16, and Richards, 11.
Gabrielle Thomas also walked away with the Kingston Grand Slam title, claiming the women’s long sprints title after finishing first in the 200 metres and second in the 400.
Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser was peerless in the women’s 400m last night, racing away from the pack in a speedy 48.67 to pick up a valuable 12 points, moving her total tally to 17.
Thomas was second in the race, recording a new personal best of 49.14, ahead of Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino, 49.35.
Despite the dominant performance from Eid Naser, it was not enough to eclipse Thomas’ point tally, whose second-place finish sees her maintaining top spot in the group.
Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji did just enough to claim the women’s short distance title when she won the 1500m last night in a time of four minutes, 4.51 (4:04.51).
She ended on 20 points, ahead of American Nikki Hiltz, 18, who had placed third in the 1500m in a time of 5:05.39.
Competition continues today at the National Stadium, beginning with the women’s short hurdles race group taking on the 100m at 2:42 p.m.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Women’s 100 Metres - 2:42pm
Men’s 400 Metres - 2:54pm
Women’s 5000 Metres - 3:04pm
Men’s 100 Metres - 3:29pm
Men’s 800 Metres - 3:39pm
Men’s 3000 Metres - 3:49pm
Women’s 200 Metres - 4:08pm
Women’s 400 Metres - 4:21pm