Preparations for the Jerusalem Grand Slam 2026 are entering the final stretch ahead of the international competition, which will take place this coming Thursday, June 25, at the National Stadium in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.
Approximately 76 male and female athletes from 29 countries are expected to take part in the competition, bringing together international athletes alongside Israel’s leading track and field athletes on the track in Jerusalem. This year as well, the competition is expected to place Jerusalem at the center of the international athletics map, with a high-level competitive evening, a local crowd, and a unique, electrifying atmosphere at the stadium.
The international participants list includes athletes from the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Greece, Ukraine, Hungary, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Uganda, and additional countries. Their arrival in Jerusalem is part of a competition that continues to establish itself as a significant international event on Israel’s athletics calendar.
At the center of the competition will also be the relay teams from Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland, which will arrive in Israel with full squads and take part in the 4×100-meter relay. Team members are also expected to compete in the individual events.
Alongside the international athletes, Israel’s leading male and female athletes will also compete, including Blessing Afrifah, Yonatan Kapitolnik, Adva Cohen, Omri Schiff, Romi Tamir, Estelle Valanu, Menachem Chen, Ishai Ifraimov, Alina Drutman, Mercy Afrifah, and additional Israeli athletes. For the Israeli athletes, this is an important opportunity to compete against high-level international opponents on home soil and in front of the Israeli crowd.
Beyond its international importance, the competition provides athletes with a significant opportunity to achieve qualifying standards and gain ranking points ahead of the European Championships, which will begin on August 10 in Birmingham.
The Jerusalem Grand Slam is being held for the third consecutive year and continues to establish its position as one of Israel’s leading international athletics events. Hosting a competition of this scale in Jerusalem, with broad participation from international athletes, is a significant professional achievement and reflects the competition’s growing place on the international calendar.
Last year’s competition delivered impressive highlights, led by the Israeli record set by Omri Schiff in the 400-meter hurdles, when he stopped the clock at 49.82 seconds and broke a record that had stood for 34 years. This year as well, the evening at Givat Ram is expected to deliver close battles, high-quality results, and major moments for Israeli athletics.
Alongside the professional competition, a Fun Zone for the whole family will operate on site, featuring interactive athletics stations and activities for the crowd. In addition, the transparent studio of Eldan, the main sponsor of the Jerusalem Grand Slam 2026, will return this year and host live interviews with athletes from Israel and around the world.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said:
“Jerusalem is no longer merely a city that hosts international sporting events, but a city that leads them. Even during a complex security period, we continued to bring the world’s top athletes to Jerusalem, out of the belief that sport connects people and builds bridges. We have invested hundreds of millions of shekels in advanced sports infrastructure, and the Grand Slam competition is another expression of Jerusalem’s growing status on the global sports map.”
Ami Baran, Chairman of the Israel Athletics Association, said:
“The very fact that 78 athletes from 29 countries around the world are coming to Israel, to Jerusalem, carries enormous significance. The fact that they are coming to Israel, competing here, and experiencing Israel up close is important and meaningful. This is the result of the efforts of many people who act out of a love for sport and a desire to show Israel at its best. I hope we will continue to see more and more international competitions in other sports coming to Israel, with an emphasis on Jerusalem.”
Ze’ev Barzilai, Marketing Director at Eldan Transportation, the competition’s main sponsor, said:
“I think the first record of the competition has already been broken. The very fact that 78 athletes from 29 countries around the world are coming to compete in Israel’s capital, during the complex situation we are in, is a point of pride both for the State of Israel and for the city of Jerusalem. We are proud to be the main partners of the Jerusalem Grand Slam competition, and I wish all the athletes great success.”
Yonatan Kapitolnik said:
“I started this year in the United States. It was a challenging year for me after the injury I went through, but over the past two months, following my training, I feel that I have managed to make progress. I am at the beginning of a process, and I am happy about that.”
Mercy Afrifah said:
“After the record I set indoors this past winter, the stadium record is definitely my goal. I know what I am capable of, and I know what I have in my legs. The record I set came after a very serious injury, and I think I am capable of much more. I hope it happens here at the Grand Slam. I believe in myself very much.”
Blessing Afrifah said:
“The professional goals I set for myself in 2026 are, first of all, the Grand Slam, the European Championships, and the podium. But above all, it is important for me to make things right after last year’s competition, when I suffered heatstroke in the 200-meter race and did not qualify for the 100 meters. This time, I have to succeed.”
“We are proud to host athletes from 29 countries this year, and we continue to prove that Jerusalem is Israel’s international sports capital. This is not the peak of the journey, but another stop on our path to turning Jerusalem into the leading sports center in the Middle East. We will continue investing in facilities, international events, and athletes in order to strengthen the city’s status and bring the world’s biggest and most prestigious competitions here.”
The Jerusalem Grand Slam 2026 will take place this coming Thursday, June 25, at the National Stadium in Givat Ram, Jerusalem. Tickets are available on the Bimot website.
