Matthew Hudson-Smith

Chris Chavez, Aisha Praught-Leer, Eric Jenkins and Anderson Emerole unpack all the action from Day 2 of Grand Slam Track: Kingston.

Kenny Bednarek — Mr. 2x Olympic Medal, now Mr. Slam Champion — swept the short sprints and made it look easy. 100m? Win. 200m? Win. $100k? Yes please. Not bad for a weekend in Jamaica.

Gabby Thomas? She didn’t just win. She leveled up. A massive 400m PR (49.14!) — behind only a world-leading time from Salwa Eid Naser — locked down the Women’s Long Sprints crown. Two races. One trophy. Another six-figure payday.

But it wasn’t just the Americans cleaning up. Matthew Hudson-Smith of Great Britain edged out the 400m crew to win the Men’s Long Sprints Slam. Diribe Welteji outkicked Nikki Hiltz to take the Women’s Short Distance title in a spicy 1500m.

And oh yeah — there was that absolutely loaded men’s 1500 field where 800m Olympic champ Emmanuel Wanyonyi stepped up in distance and beat the entire Paris medal stand.

Tonight was the night that we believe fans started to rock with the brand-new league format. Fast, fresh, and fun. It’s a modern take on track with real stakes — and real checks — on the line.And it’s only Day 2.Let’s talk about the money. The medals. The matchups. And why this might be the shake-up the sport’s been waiting for.

21-year-old Muzala Samukonga won Zambia’s only medal at the Paris Olympics, which was the country's first since the 1996 Games in Atlanta. He rose to prominence at the 2022 Commonwealth Games when he stormed to gold in 44.66 and beat out Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith, who took silver in Paris.

There isn’t a ton on the internet on Samukonga so that’s why it was nice when our very own Anderson Emerole had the chance to chat with him in Brussels just after he signed a contract to join Grand Slam Track as a 200m/400m racer in 2025. It’s life-changing money for Samukonga, who came from nothing.

You’ll hear from him and his coach Douglas Kalembo on his poor beginnings and how he’s become one of the best 400m runners in the world.

You can read more about Samukonga and all of the other recent Grand Slam Track Racer signings at CITIUSMAG.com

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The sixth day of track and field at the Olympics was another huge one for Team USA! Quincy Hall claimed the 400m gold medal while Kenneth Rooks shocked the world with a silver medal finish in the 3000m steeplechase. As the events roll on, it’s clear that the American athletes are making a big splash and setting the stage for an exciting finish to the Games. In tonight’s edition of the Torch Talk, the team breaks down…

– Quincy Hall won the Olympic gold in the 400m at Paris 2024 in 43.40, making him the 4th-fastest man ever. Brit Matthew Hudson-Smith took bronze and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia took bronze. This was the fastest 400m race in history, as five men dipped under 44 seconds.

– Soufiane El Bakkali became the first man in nearly 100 years to successfully defend his Olympic steeplechase gold, winning with a time of 8:06.05. Kenneth Rooks won silver with a big PB, and Abraham Kibiwot of Kenya won bronze.

– Nina Kennedy won the women's pole vault at the Paris 2024 Olympics, clearing a height of 4.90m. Her gold is the first at an Olympics by an Australian female vaulter. Reigning Olympic champ Katie Moon finished in silver, and Alysha Newman broke the Canadian record to win bronze.

– Roje Stona of Jamaica set a new Olympic record with a 70.00-meter throw, earning the gold medal in men's discus in Paris. This marks Jamaica's first gold medal at the Paris Games and the nation's first-ever Olympic gold in men's discus.

– In the 110m hurdles semifinal, Grant Holloway posted the fastest time of the day at 12.98 seconds. American athletes Daniel Roberts and Freddie Crittenden also advanced to the final.

HOSTS:

Chris Chavez | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@chris_j_chavez on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mac Fleet | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@macfleet on Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mitch Dyer | ⁠@metchosketch on Instagram⁠

Eric Jenkins | @_ericjenkins on Instagram

Aisha Praught Leer | @aishapraughtleer on Instagram

Katelyn Hutchison | @_kxnaomi on Instagram

We’re excited to have a full CITIUS MAG team on the ground in Paris providing daily live shows before and after the action, including interviews with competing athletes, our TORCH TALK recap show, and the return of GOOD MORNING TRACK AND FIELD.

Make sure you’re subscribed to the CITIUS MAG YouTube channel for live shows

Subscribe (and share with your friends!) to the CITIUS MAG newsletter for daily newsletters in your inbox after every day of track and field competition: https://citiusmag.beehiiv.com/

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Jason and Kevin recap the London Diamond League and discuss the strong performances by Noah Lyles, Keely Hodgkinson, Femke Bol, Matthew Hudson-Smith and Gabby Thomas.

Then, the guys discuss Athing Mu's 800m race in Florida, the drama around the US men's 4x400m and Olympic gambling.

Show Notes

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• 00:00 Introduction and Welcome
• 00:15 Henry's Race Recap
• 02:32 London Diamond League Highlights
• 07:51 Men's Mile Drama
• 13:12 400 Meters and Other Highlights
• 14:08 Podcast Announcements and Sponsorship
• 15:35 Holloway Invite Recap
• 18:20 Athing Mu's Performance
• 22:24 Christian Taylor's Farewell
• 24:01 Olympic Games Air Conditioning Controversy
• 26:54 Olympic Village Air Conditioning Controversy
• 29:02 Upcoming Olympic Events and Betting Odds
• 30:12 Women's 1500m Betting Analysis
• 36:23 Men's 1500m Betting Analysis
• 40:12 Women's 800m Betting Analysis
• 42:36 Men's 800m Betting Analysis
• 50:17 Women's 5000m Betting Analysis
• 52:38 Men's 5000m Betting Analysis
• 55:55 Conclusion and Upcoming Coverage