Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya will launch an audacious double assault against world-class rivals at Miami’s Grand Slam Track meet on May 2–4. He will be confronting Canada’s Marco Arop in the 800m before pivoting to battle Britain’s Josh Kerr and America’s Yared Nuguse in the 1500m. The 2019 world champion brings his signature front-running tactics to the $100,000 winner-takes-all format, where even eighth-place finishers earn $10,000 in the revolutionary three-day competition.
The Kenyan tactician enters as the ultimate wildcard, armed with a 1:43.11 800m personal best and the 1500m pedigree that earned him Olympic silver behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen. “My strength lies in controlling races from the front,” Cheruiyot told Athletics Weekly last month. “In Miami, I’ll need perfect execution across both distances.” His schedule mirrors the meet’s innovative structure. Friday’s 800m heats against Arop’s 1:43.30 speed precede Saturday’s 1500m semifinals and Sunday’s high-stakes finals.
Timothy Cheruiyot’s campaign unfolds against the Grand Slam Track’s bold vision – a global broadcast reaching 200 territories, with distance events adopting F1-style group finals. The Kenyan’s 800m/1500m double mirrors the meet’s 3000m/5000m “Endurance Slam,” where athletes compete across related distances. Organizers confirm Cheruiyot will face Arop’s lethal kick of the 2023 world champion in the shorter race before tackling Kerr’s 3:29.05 1500m speed and Nuguse’s 3:29.02 Personal Best in the metric mile.
Timothy Cheruiyot Athletics Career
Timothy Cheruiyot enters Miami’s Grand Slam Track event as a proven champion. In 2019, he captured the World 1500m title, and in 2020, he secured an Olympic silver medal.
Cheruiyot boasts a personal best of 3:28.28 in the 1500m, making him a formidable contender in the men’s short-distance group. Marco Arop, the reigning 2023 World 800m champion, also lines up in Miami. Arop, with a 1:43.30 personal best and a 2022 Diamond League title, brings both speed and tactical strength to the field.
Both athletes will compete for a share of the $1.6 million prize pool, with $100,000 awarded to each group winner and $10,000 for eighth place. The Miami Slam, hosted at the Ansin Sports Complex from May 2–4, 2025, promises head-to-head clashes between the sport’s biggest stars, ensuring fans witness world-class performances and fierce rivalries.
