Jamaican sprint star Bryan Levell continued his upward trajectory in the 2025 season with a strong second-place finish in the men’s 100 meters at the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia.
Levell, who is still early in his senior career, spoke with confidence and gratitude after the race. He finished behind American Sprint Star Kenny Bednarek.
“The Grand Slam is a good event — definitely the crowd, the fans, everybody. It’s a good event,” said Levell. “It’s just about coming out and having fun, and doing what you have to do.”
Coming off a promising Olympic debut in 2024,. The former high school standout is now fully focused on the Jamaican national trials, set for later this month. Levell says he’s heading back to training to fine-tune his form based on his coach’s feedback.
“I just go back to train and correct the things my coach says need to be corrected. Because when I come back, I want to try something new,” he said.
When asked about his feelings on the 2025 season so far, Levell reflected on how far he has come since stepping onto the global stage.
“Last year was my first year out of high school. It was really a building moment. I was just learning, and now I’ve come back better.”
Despite his youth, Bryan Levell remains unfazed by competing against world-class athletes. He competed in a highly competitive men’s 100m final, finishing second with an impressive time of 10.02 seconds. He was narrowly beaten by American sprinter Kenny Bednarek, who clocked a winning time of 9.86 seconds.
The race featured a stacked lineup of world-class athletes, including Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, who placed third in 10.05 seconds, and American star Christian Coleman, who finished fourth in 10.12. Also in the field were Canada’s Andre De Grasse (10.15), Nigeria’s Udodi Onwuzurike (10.20), and Aaron Brown of Canada (10.20).
Levell’s performance among such elite company underscores his rapid rise in the sprinting world and strengthens his case for a spot on Jamaica’s World Championships team
“There’s no pressure. These guys, when I was coming up, they were the ones I looked up to. To be racing against them now — it’s a dream come true.”
With the World Athletics Championships on the horizon, Levell is aiming to make Jamaica’s team. That is; in the 100m, 200m, and possibly even the 4x100m relay.
“Representing Jamaica is always a good thing — it’s always my pleasure,” he said.
