Andrew Coscoran claims thrilling win at Grand Slam Track in Miami

Irish Examiner

03-05-2025

Andrew Coscoran recorded the biggest win of his career at the second edition of Grand Slam Track in Miami on Friday night, the Dubliner out-kicking a world-class field to take victory over 3000m in 8:17.56.
After a dawdling pace through the opening two kilometres, Coscoran reached the bell in fifth place, but then unleashed a 54-second final lap, and a blazing 11.89-second final 100m, to hit the front a few metres from the finish, with USA's Grant Fisher, a double Olympic medallist in Paris, second in 8:17.60. Britain's George Mills, a recent European indoor silver medallist over 3000m, was third in 8:17.77.
'I've been in a couple of neck-and-neck races where I've fallen over the line,' said Coscoran. 'When I was just coming up to the line, I was like, 'Do I need to actually fall here to try and get this?' It was a bit neck and neck but with a couple of metres to go I was like 'I definitely have this.'
'My mindset is I can always maybe get it. First lap, I'm like, 'How do I win this?' Same with every other lap. I thought I definitely had it with about three or four metres to go. Before that, I was asking myself if I can win it and it was definite with four metres to go.'
The win puts Coscoran in line for the biggest payday of his career on Sunday, when he will race the same athletes over 5000m. Grand Slam Track is the new professional series co-founded by US star Michael Johnson, with prize money that dwarfs that of the Diamond League. The series features four 'racers' in each category, who compete at every meet, and four 'challengers', with Coscoran receiving a call-up as the latter for the Miami event.
The Irishman wins it! 🇮🇪
Andrew Coscoran outkicks Grant Fisher to take the 3000m.@GrandSlamTrack | 📺 Peacock pic.twitter.com/OfsW5pNrtu — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) May 2, 2025
His win netted him 12 points in the long-distance category, where the 5000m will determine the final standings. The competitor with the highest points tally after that race will win $100,000, with second receiving $50,000 and third netting $30,000.
If Coscoran finishes second to anyone besides Fisher in the 5000m, he will be the overall winner and if he finishes second to Fisher, the tie-break is decided based on their overall cumulative times for both races.
Though he's best known for his exploits at shorter distances – Coscoran holds both the Irish mile and 1500m records – he is a dangerous competitor over 3000m and 5000m given his ample endurance.
'The thing is I've probably raced one 5K in the last five years,' he said. 'It was alright, it was 13:12, but these guys are well experienced in the 5K. I'm gonna hang in and try to make a move like I did today and maybe that's enough. We'll see.'
He will race the 5000m at 9.44pm Irish time on Sunday, with live coverage on TNT Sports 2 from 8.30pm.
Elsewhere, Rhasidat Adeleke and Brian Fay will be in action at the Shanghai/Keqiao Diamond League in China today, with Adeleke racing the 200m at 1.01pm Irish time and Fay in the 5000m at 12.26pm. There's live coverage on Virgin Media Two from 12pm.