Co-founder of Grand Slam Track (GST) Michael Johnson, the legendary American sprinter, says he is satisfied with the début of the series which got underway at the National Stadium on Friday.

The opening session of the three-day meet saw impressive performances throughout with 400m hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Alison Dos Santos, Nikki Hiltz, and Christopher Bailey grabbing the headlines after registering world leads in their respective events.

Johnson, an Olympic champion in the 200m and 400m and a former record holder in the events, said he was pleased with the series’ first stop.

“The first one is in the books; athletes were out there running fast and we got what we wanted. I said when we get the best athletes together, competing against each other, you are going to get close races, people coming down to the line, and there is going to be more to come… And we are excited,” Johnson told the Jamaica Observer.

“We always want more, we want people to come out, we want people to support but the athletes themselves; they gave us what we knew they were going to give us,” he added.

“My expectations are high, so I want even closer competition, more people in the stands, more people yelling for people like they were today. But it was great; it was exactly what we needed,” said Johnson.

McLaughlin-Levrone clocked 56.76 seconds in the women’s 400m to win ahead of Dalilah Muhammad, 54.59; and Rushell Clayton, 55.02.

Bailey ran 44.34 win in the men’s long sprint 400m event to beat Matthew Hudson-Smith, 44.65; and Vernon Norwood, 44.70.

American Nikki Hiltz, 1:58.23, also produced a world lead to win the women’s 800m.

She got the win ahead of Diribe Welteji, 1:58.29, in second, with Jessica Hull, 1:58.58, taking third.

The other big performance came from Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos, winner in the men’s 400m hurdles with a time of 47.61, which placed him ahead of Roshawn Clarke, 48.20, and Caleb Dean, 48.48.

— Andre Lowe