Olympian Jamsin Jones on why she decided to sign up to Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track signing

Olympian Jamsin Jones on why she decided to sign up to Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track signing

Stephen Awino 19:00 - 23.10.2024

U.S. Olympian is among top athletes who will be looking to leave a mark next years' Grand Slam Track having been signed to the star-studded line-up

U.S. Olympian Jasmine Jones is thrilled about her new chapter as a racer with Grand Slam Track signing her on ahead of the professional track league’s highly anticipated inaugural season in 2025.

The NCAA champion and 400m hurdles specialist sees this opportunity as a fresh challenge, particularly in the open 400m event, which she has never raced at a competitive level.

"It's definitely a super exciting opportunity. I haven't done the open four, I think, ever. I didn't do it in college, I didn't do it in high school, so getting to do that is going to be super exciting," said Jones via Citius Mag.

"Going into this past season, I had never run the 400m hurdles at this level, and that turned out pretty great. So, I’m excited to see how the open four can go."

Jones is looking forward to testing herself against some of the best athletes in the world, and she believes her training has prepared her for success in this new event.

“Our training is conducive to a good time in the 400m, so getting to test myself at a high level, especially with all these amazing girls, is going to be super fun,” she added.

Jones had a breakthrough season in 2024, setting personal bests in the 400m hurdles four times, culminating in a remarkable 52.29 performance in the Olympic final, where she narrowly missed a podium finish by just 0.14 seconds, placing fourth.

Reflecting on her Olympic experience, Jones admitted that while missing a medal was disappointing, she remains proud of her journey.

"As soon as the season started, I said to myself, 'Last year was literally horrible, the worst season of my life. So this year, I’m going to make it the best. I’m going to the Olympic Games, and I’m going to make the final.’ And that’s exactly what I did,” she shared.

“Getting fourth place was honestly a huge disappointment, but I can’t even be too upset. Just thinking about where I came from, having no season to being an Olympic finalist. It’s been so nice to appreciate my own accomplishments without beating myself up about it."

The Olympian's upcoming stint with Grand Slam Track offers the perfect platform to leave her mark on the track with the race format allowing her to race both the 400m and the 400m hurdles against top athletes.

Key rivals in her category are 400m hurdles world record holder and two-time Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, two-time World Championship bronze medalist Rushell Clayton, and Shamier Little, who won gold in the women's 4x400m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics.