Canada's Arop places 7th in 1,500m at Grand Slam Track meet

In his third-ever 1,500-metre race, Canada's Marco Arop finished seventh on Friday in Miramar, Fla., in the second leg of the Grand Slam Track meet. 

Arop crossed the line in a time of three minutes 35.95 seconds.

Great Britain's Josh Kerr won in 3:54.51, followed by Americans Yared Nuguse (3:34.65) and Cole Hocker (3:34.79).

At the inaugural Slam last month in Jamaica, Arop won the 800m and placed sixth out of eight in the 1,500m — a distance he'd raced just twice before in his career — to finish second in the men's short distance.

Group winner Emmanuel Wanyonyi of Kenya, who beat Arop for the 800m gold at the Paris Olympics, is not competing this week.

Andre De Grasse and Jerome Blake are making their Grand Slam debuts over the weekend. Their rivals in the men's short sprints include American star Kenny Bednarek, the back-to-back Olympic 200m silver medallist who won the group in Jamaica.

The 100m race is on Saturday at 6:53 p.m. ET and the 200 goes Sunday at 5:21 p.m. ET to close out the meet. All events will be live streamed on CBCSports.ca.

Russell blazes to 100m hurdles win

Olympic gold medallist Masai Russell set an American record in the 100m hurdles, breaking the tape in 12.17 seconds for the second-fastest time ever recorded in the event.

The 24-year-old Russell looked stunned when she saw the time on the scoreboard after edging fellow American Tia Jones, who had the third-fastest time ever recorded with 12.19 seconds in the first race of the day. Jamaica's Ackera Nugent was third.

The competition on a hot day at Ansin Sports Complex had the maximum allowable tailwind with 2.0.

"I can't even tell you," she said with a look of disbelief of her face after the race.

"These women bring out the best in me."

Keni Harrison previously owned the American record after finishing in 12.20 seconds in 2016.

Tobi Amusan of Nigeria is the world record holder with a time of 12.12 seconds at the 2022 World Championships.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden stormed to victory in the women's 100m with a blistering 10.75 seconds in conditions that exceeded the wind limit.

American Tamari Davis finished second in 10.79 seconds, with Favour Ofili of Nigeria third and American Gabby Thomas fourth.

Jefferson-Wooden also won the 100m at Grand Slam Track's inaugural event in Kingston, Jamaica last month.

"I want to be one of the greatest to ever do this sport," the American, who took bronze in the event at the Paris Olympics, told FloTrack.

"I don't want to be one of the ones who they say, 'She was always on the circuit, but she didn't win a lot of medals,'" she said.

"No, I want when people see Melissa Jefferson-Wooden to know that she's here and she's not here to play."

American star arrested

Twice Olympic 100 metres medallist Fred Kerley has been arrested and will not compete in Grand Slam Track's inaugural U.S.-based event in Miami this weekend, the circuit said on Friday.

Kerley, who won a bronze medal in the 100m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics and silver in the same distance at the 2020 Tokyo Games, was scheduled to compete in the 100m on Saturday and 200m on Sunday.

"Fred Kerley was arrested last night. The matter is under active investigation, and all inquiries should be directed to the Broward County Sheriff's Office," Grand Slam Track said in a statement. "Fred will not compete this weekend. We have no further comment at this time."

Reuters has contacted Kerley's representative for comment. The Broward County Sheriff's Office did not immediately provide details on Kerley's arrest when contacted by Reuters.

According to media reports, the 29-year-old Kerley was charged with touch or strike battery following an altercation at the meet hotel and there was no timeline for his release.

Kerley competed in Grand Slam Track's inaugural meet last month in Kingston, Jamaica.

Grand Slam Track, which will hold four meets in 2025, was created by four-times Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson.

The circuit is a direct challenge to the Diamond League, long the standard-bearer for the sport worldwide, which hosts 15 meetings each year in cities from Xiamen to Zurich.