It’s Philadelphia’s turn to Slam
What new track stories will unfold in Franklin Field?
Rocky, cheesesteaks, a revolutionary history… and now a revolutionary track meet.
Grand Slam Track is ready to race in Philadelphia at the historic Franklin Field. 40 Racers and 56 Challengers (36 making their Grand Slam Track debut) will take to the unique Rekortan track to go head-to-head with each other and with history.
The new two-day format will see Sydney McLaughlin switch Slams and a host of new Challengers hungry to make their mark. From Anna Cockrell to Christian Coleman (he beat Usain Bolt in his last WCH and has perhaps the best start of any athlete in the world), Georgia Hunter-Bell to Cordell Tinch (fresh from his lightning-fast WL over the 110m hurdles in China), some plot twists are surely in the making?
As the Official Track of Grand Slam Track and the storied surface of Franklin Fields since 1988, Rekortan is ready for the next chapter of track greatness. Read on for our six Slams to watch.
1. Women's Short Hurdles – Sydney switches Slams
This is the race everyone is talking about. Can the 400m hurdles G.O.A.T take the Short Hurdles Slam? The emphatic Long Hurdle Slam winner in Kingston and Miami, Sydney McLaughlin is taking on the race that produced the second and third fastest marks of all time for the 100m hurdles in Miami.
Challenger, Tia Jones, the third fastest women ever over this event is back and she joins a duo of impressive Jamaicans, Danielle Williams, who took the Slam in Kingston and Miami Slam champion, Ackera Nugent. McLaughlin has competition.
She will also run her first ever professional 100m race. Despite having the slowest 100m hurdles PB of the field, this is Sydney. Could this be track history and future in the making?
2. Men's Short Distance – a race for the ages
Josh Kerr enters this Slam as the Miami Champion but faces fierce competition if he is to retain his crown. Marco Arop, second in both Slams so far will be biting at his heels. The Canadian just needs to prove himself over 1,500m. Yared Nuguse set a new 800m PR in Miami but is yet to take a Slam and will be hungry for it in Franklin Field. The Olympic 1,500m Champion, Cole Hocker, is yet to find his Grand Slam Track form but his powerful final kick can never be discounted.
These usual suspects will face new rivals Hobbs Kessler (Olympic finalist in Paris and third fastest man in history over the indoor mile), Josh Hoey, (current World Champion and American Record Holder for the 800m indoor), the 800m European Champion from the Netherlands, Samuel Chapple, and the Road Mile WR holder, Elliot Giles from Great Britain. This Slam just went up a notch.
“Grant Fisher claimed the Kingston and Miami Slam titles, proving to be the long-distance runner who best understood the concept of two races. But with the removal of the 5,000m, this Slam will shake things up.”
3. Women's Short Distance - Diribe Welteji x Nikki Hiltz x Mary Slaney’s 45-year-old venue record
Kingston Slam winner, Diribe Welteji, leads the field and Nikki Hiltz will be looking to better second place in both the Kingston and Miami Slams. Promising competition comes in the form of Challengers 800m American Champion, Nia Akins, 800m Australian Champion, Abbey Caldwell, 1,000m American Record Holder, Addy Wiley, and GB’s Georgia Hunter Bell, an Olympic and World Bronze Medalist at the 1,500m.
In addition to what promise to be great 800m and 1500m races, the field will also be chasing the 45-year-old Franklin Field record set by Mary Slaney in 1980 (4:00.87).
4. Men's Short Hurdles - Trey Cunningham x Sasha Zhoya x Cordell Tinch
French Racer, Sasha Zhoya, took the Slam in Kingston, and Challenger, Trey Cunningham, took the spotlight in Miami, winning both the 110m hurdles and the 100m races and setting PRs in both races.
But both athletes must feel the threat of Challenger, Cordell Tinch, who ran a 12.87 WL in May - a blazing fast time which is the fifth fastest 110m hurdles mark ever.
With the three athletes in great shape and a super strong field, this promises to be a close and exciting one.
5. Men's Long Distance - Can Fisher win a third Slam with just a single race?
Grant Fisher claimed the Kingston and Miami Slam titles, proving to be the long-distance runner who best understood the concept of two races. But with the removal of the 5,000m, this Slam will shake things up.
Hagos Gebrhiwet and Andrew Coscoran beat Fisher over 3,000m in Kingston and Miami respectively and they’ll be firing in Philly. Among the new Challengers are American, Nico Young, the 5,000m and 10,000m American Collegiate Record Holder, and 2025 World Indoor Bronze Medalist at the 3,000m, Australian, Ky Robinson. It may be a one race Slam but this is far from a one-horse race.
6. Women's Long Hurdles - The crown is available but who will take it?
With Sydney moving to the Short Hurdles, this race is back on. Veteran Dalilah Muhammad, the third fastest women in history (and second in the Kingston Slam) will face Challenger, Anna Cockrell (Olympic Bronze medalist in Paris 2024), and Racer, Jasmine Jones (fourth in the same race), who is back after injury and making her 400m hurdles debut for the season. Promising new rivalries come in the shape of American Challenger, Shamier Little and Andrenette Knight from Jamaica, who finished second in the Miami Slam.
Anna Cockrell remains undefeated in her last consecutive 20 races against her main rivals, beating Jasmine Jones three times, Dalilah Muhammad four times, Andrenette Knight seven times and Shamier Little six times. But will the favorite on paper tell the same story on this storied track?
Learn more about Rekortan’s partnership with Grand Slam Track here.