The 20 participating Jamaicans at the inaugural Grand Slam Track (GST) series earned a combined J$78m (US$495,000) from the first leg in Kingston last weekend.

The Michael Johnson-led GST is considered a game changer in athletics with hefty prize monies totalling US12.6 million on offer for the season, ranging from $100,000 for winning a slam to $10,000 for placing last.

The GST featured a total of 96 competitors, consisting of 48 “Racers” and 48 “Challengers” from across 22 countries competing in various track events, including sprints, hurdles and distance races.

Of the 20 Jamaicans in action, only Danielle Williams won an event capturing the Women’s Short Hurdles a combination of the 100 hurdles and the 100m sprint.

The two-time sprint hurdles World champion was second in the hurdles and surprisingly won the flat 100m amassing 20 points and winning US$100,000 or a massive $15.7m Jamaican dollars.

Williams will have three more shots at it and if successful could collect US$400,000 or J$63m for the series. Not bad for a three-month work, from April to May.

There was one second-placed finish for Jamaica courtesy of Roshawn Clarke in the Men’s Long Hurdles of the 400m and the 400 hurdles and he pocketed US$50,000 for a nice J$7.8m.

Top sprinter Oblique Seville, Ackera Nugent and Andrennette Knight finished third in their events for US$30,000 (J$4.7m).

The other Jamaicans to earn are fourth placed Shiann Salmon, and Kemba Nelson with US$25,000 (J$3.9m); Malik James-King, Deandre Watkins, US$20,000 or J$3.1m for fifth spots.

Stacey-Ann Williams, Alana Reid and Rushell Clayton all walked away with US$15,000 or $2.4m Jamaican while Omar McLeod, Jodean Williams, Natoya Goule-Toppin and Assini Wilson got US$12,000 or $1.9m for finishing seventh.

The eighth or last-placed finishers Orlando Bennett, Zandrion Barnes and Nickisha Pryce all received US$10,000 or J$1.57m.

The series will move to Miami for the second leg between May 2-4 then onto Philadelphia between May 30-June 1 and concludes in Los Angeles between June 27-29.