Team GB athletes scoop mammoth £225,000 as Josh Kerr lands huge payday
Team GB athletes scoop mammoth £225,000 as Josh Kerr lands huge payday
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/)
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:)
Article continues below
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:)
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.
Article continues below
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Tom Aspinall reveals latest on Jon Jones showdown as UFC title fight stalls
The British star is seemingly growing frustrated with having to wait for his heavyweight rival and has revealed an announcement on his next fight could be made soon Tom Aspinall has revealed an announcement regarding his next fight will be made "soon" but insists heavyweight rival Jon Jones is "retired." The interim heavyweight champion has not fought since a devastating knockout victory over Curtis Blaydes last July at UFC 304 in Manchester. Aspinall claimed the interim prize after a first round knockout win over Sergei Pavlovich back in November 2023 - a fight card that was expected to be headlined by Jones, before the American withdrew due to injury. Since picking up the undisputed title against Ciryl Gane two years ago, Jones has only defended the title once - a knockout victory over Stipe Miocic back in November. It seemed as if 'Bones' would call it a day after the clash in New York, but the 37-year-old teased at least one more fight in the cage. However, he has since failed to commit to a fight with his British rival. While Aspinall has grown frustrated with the lack of noise regarding news of his next fight, he claims a decision will be made soon. Speaking to All Out Fighting at the launch of Aspinall's long-term partnership with sportswear brand Champion, when asked if fans can expect fight news soon, the 32-year-old replied: "Yeah, we are. It is not my job to announce it but it should be announced soon as far as I am aware." With fans continuing to call for an Aspinall vs Jones showdown, the former admits he has moved on and believes the American has called it a day. "He is retired! I don't know (why he does not want to fight), I think he is just done. I think he is done… everybody has a sell by date in this sport and I think he has reached his," he said. Within the promotion, Aspinall holds the record for the shortest fight time of a fighter with five or more bouts. All of his victories have come within two rounds. An athlete who loves to compete regularly, it has been a tough year for the Brit, but insists he is just getting on with life as he awaits news of his next fight. "It's been difficult in terms of sport but in the grand scheme of life, it has not been that bad, it has been pretty awesome to be honest but I would life to fight more often than I have been fighting and that's nothing to do with me," he said. "I can only fight when I'm given a fight and, so far up until recently, I have not been offered any fights so there is not a lot I really could have done, but that is all kind of in the past now and we can all move forward, so I am happy with that." Regarding his next opponent, the British brawler admits he won't be "picky" and will even consider rematches with former foes. With Jones seemingly on his way out and Miocic retired, many are questioning whether the buzz around the UFC's heaviest division is still there, but Aspinall believes the division is exciting as ever. "Every fight is different, so even if I have beaten somebody before, it is still exciting for me to fight in. It's heavyweight MMA, so, even though it might seem a bit stagnant, as soon as the guys get active again, it will be good!" In an ideal world, the British star is targeting two fights this year. However, one thing is certain, the 32-year-old just wants to stay active and is even open to TEN bouts this year. With the UFC having announced pay-per-view events for June, July and August and September, Aspinall seems unlikely to fight before October, but that still has not stopped him from wanting to remain active. "Being as active as possible really," he said when asked about his goals this year. "Two fights would be ideal. We might even push for three or four, to be honest. Might even get 10 in before the end of the year! I just want to be as active as possible."
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Why Imane Khelif is likely to KEEP Olympic gold medal despite leaked document ‘proving boxer is biological male'
IMANE KHEIF is likely to KEEP the Olympic gold medal - despite being hit with fresh accusations of being a biological male. Khelif won gold for Algeria at the Paris Games in 2024 - a year after being banned from International Boxing Association competition. Advertisement 1 Imane Khelif is likely to keep her Olympic gold medal Credit: AFP In 2023, the IBA banned Khelif after tests taken in New Delhi allegedly produced the DNA of a 'male'. The IOC - who replaced the IBA as the Olympic's boxing governing body - were warned about the tests and urged to remove Khelif from the competition. But Khelif was allowed to box in Paris because of her female passport status. Since then, the alleged sex-test results from the 2023 World Championships have been published for the first time by 3 Wire Sports. Advertisement The medical report appears to indicate that the boxer is biologically male. American journalist Alan Abrahamson produced the result of a test said to have been carried out on the boxer in New Delhi in March 2023 - which triggered the boxer's disqualification. The document published summarises the findings on Khelif as 'abnormal', stating: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype." A karyotype refers to an individual's complete set of chromosomes, which in Khelif's case has been reported by (IBA) as being XY, the male pattern. Advertisement The leaked medical reports have sparked calls for Khelif to be stripped of the gold medal she won in the women's 66 kg category. However, Doraine Lambelet Coleman - a Thomas L. Perkins Distinguished Professor of Laws at Duke Law School - explained why that is unlikely. Trump rips into boxer Imane Khelif about controversial Olympics win against Angela Carini The legal expert told Newsweek: "The IOC would not revoke medals won by athletes who were eligible according to the rules it set for the boxing competition in Paris. "Unlike the eligibility rules set by the IBA and now World Boxing, those rules did not require competitors to be biologically female." Advertisement The alleged test results carry the letterhead of Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the Swiss-based International Organisation for Standardisation. This directly challenges what IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a tense news conference at the Paris Olympics. He described the results that saw Khelif banned as 'ad hoc' and 'not legitimate'. IOC president Thomas Bach even claimed that the results are the product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign. Advertisement It followed after the IBA - headed by Russia's Umar Kremlev - had been stripped of IOC recognition in a row over ethics and financial management. Khelif has always denied being a biological male and even named JK Rowling and Elon Musk in a cyberbullying lawsuit. And the 26-year-old has vowed to fight on, even eyeing another gold at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. 'Silence is no longer an option' But World Boxing has ruled that Khelif is ineligible to enter future events as a woman without first submitting to the same chromosome testing that has already triggered the boxer's disqualification at global level. Advertisement The governing body - provisionally approved to run Olympic boxing in LA - announced that all athletes in its competitions over 18 years old must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex. The test detects chromosomal material through a mouth swab, saliva or blood. Khelif has failed to provide any evidence of having female chromosomes in the nine months since the gender scandal erupted. In February, Khelif spoke out in her defence and wrote: 'For two years, I have taken the high road while my name and image have been used, unauthorised, to further personal and political agendas through the spreading and dissemination of baseless lies and misinformation. But silence is no longer an option. Advertisement 'The IBA, an organisation that I am no longer associated with and which is no longer recognised by the IOC, have again made baseless accusations that are false and offensive, using them to further their agenda. "This is a matter that concerns not just me but the broader principles of fairness and due process in sport. 'My team is carefully reviewing the situation and will take all necessary legal steps to ensure that my rights and the principles of fair competition are upheld. "Those responsible for these actions must be held accountable, and we will pursue all legal avenues to ensure that justice prevails.' Advertisement An IOC spokesperson told Sun Sport: "The IOC has always made it clear that eligibility criteria are the responsibility of the respective International Federation. "The factors that matter to sports performance are unique to each sport, discipline, and/or event. "We await the full details how sex testing will be implemented in a safe, fair and legally enforceable way."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
'Lewis Hamilton has Michael Schumacher problem and Ferrari can't rely on him'
Lewis Hamilton has endured a tough start to life at Ferrari, with the British driver failing to finish on the podium in the first nine races of the 2025 F1 season Ex-Formula One star Johnny Herbert has labelled Lewis Hamilton unreliable, cautioning Ferrari that the Brit's current struggles echo Michael Schumacher's unsuccessful racing comeback. The seven-time world champion joined F1's most successful team amid much hype at the start of the 2025 season. However, the initial excitement quickly faded as the races progressed, with Hamilton's best finish to date being a fourth place at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. The F1 legend was noticeably downcast after the Spanish Grand Prix, where he came in sixth on Sunday, describing it as the "worst race I've experienced, balance-wise." Being in the sport for nearly 19 years is an accomplishment in itself, but dominating for most of those years is another achievement altogether. While he found it tough to compete with Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren in his final three years with Mercedes, it's this year that some, notably Herbert, have started questioning whether Hamilton's reign at the top of the sport has come to an end. "It just looks like Lewis Hamilton is lost, really lost," Herbert commented, speaking to InstantWithdrawalBettingSites. "I don't know if the raw pace that he's always had throughout his career is there anymore. "I thought, with the pure racing skill Hamilton had, he'd be able to drive around any problems with the car but he seems stuck in a hole. It's not nice to see. It's not the first time we've seen it in the sport, though." Herbert drew parallels between Hamilton's current form and Schumacher's post-comeback struggles, recalling how the German legend didn't reach his previous heights after returning to the sport with Mercedes. Herbert, who clinched three Grand Prix victories in his career, reflected on past champions' comebacks, said: "Nigel Mansell won his championship in 1992, went to America in 1993, came back in 1994 and it didn't work anymore for him. "It happened with Michael Schumacher too, when he had his break and came back, then he wasn't the same Schumacher as before. You're always going to have your peak and an end of your peak. It's not nice to see. "I know Charles Leclerc is not happy with the car either, but at least he's getting podium finishes consistently. There have been a couple of poor decisions in Ferrari's strategy and poor communication over the radio, Hamilton doesn't have the synergy with his engineer that he needs. He hasn't found his comfort zone since the sprint win in China." Hamilton's performances has been overshadowed by team-mate Leclerc, with Herbert pointing out that Ferrari can no longer rely on the Brit on the basis of what's he done in the first nine races of the campaign. "Sometimes you don't realise when it's not as easy as it was before, but when you look across the garage and your teammate is outperforming you, then it may click. "The greats of the sport, at their peak, get the best out of their car. Max Verstappen is doing it right now. Hamilton just can't seem to get the extra he needs anymore. He won't understand why he can't, because he'll feel like he should be able to. "But, Leclerc is outperforming you in the same car. Leclerc is only going to grow and is in control of Ferrari's future. He's the guy they can rely on, Ferrari can't rely on Lewis Hamilton at this point. It's horrible to say but it's the truth."
