Tia Jones has weathered one hell of a storm lately. Within just a few months, her world turned upside down, a brutal breakup with Xavier Worthy, nagging injuries that wouldn’t quit, and the gut punch of missing Paris last year by mere fractions of a second. And when she touched down in Kingston for the Grand Slam Track meet on 4 April 2025, nobody was exactly rolling out the red carpet. No headlines, and no hype. Just Tia, battered but not broken, searching for clarity, control, and maybe a bit of redemption! Oh boy did she find it! And she has something to say now.

Tia Jones just made her loudest statement yet, not with words, but with performance in the inaugural Grand Slam Track meet with a fire that even her bib couldn’t hide: “KINGSTON CHALLENGER.”. She entered the meet as a Challenger, a designation that, according to the Grand Slam Track’s own criteria is reserved for athletes ranked within the global top 20, those with a significant international following, and those with existing rivalries against the marquee Racers. For context, Racers are handpicked stars of the sport, athletes with global titles, top-10 rankings, and major commercial appeal. In the women’s short hurdles, which included the likes of Olympic champion Masai Russell.

On top of that, Jones wasn’t even supposed to be here. A late addition. But when the gun went off in the 100m hurdles, Tia turned uncertainty into dominance. She stormed to 12.63 seconds, not just winning the race, but laying down the world-leading time for 2025, snatching the spot from South Africa’s Marione Fourie.  A bold statement. One the world couldn’t ignore.

The next day’s 100m flat was tougher, Jones finished sixth, as Danielle Williams dazzled the home crowd. Still, with points stacked and heads turned, Jones walked away as the second overall scorer in the short hurdles group and pocketed $50,000 in prize money! But what came after that was, Jones rejoicing her life! And we can’t fault her for that after the commotion that has transpired. She took to Instagram to share her storyline and before she shared a full post, she dropped a quiet three-word caption on Instagram: “World lead gyal” She continued further a “I had an amazing time at the first ever @grandslamtrack in Kingston Jamaica!”

Her Instagram carousel told the rest of the story. There she is, beaming in a red Adidas kit, bib reading KINGSTON CHALLENGER. Another shot captures her launching from the blocks, power surging through every muscle. One image freezes her mid-air over a hurdle, textbook form on full display. In another, she flashes a heart with her hands, an athlete reconnecting with the moment, and maybe with herself. “Coming into this meet and not even being on this list to winning the hurdles with a world leading time and snagging 2nd place over all from points is breathtaking!” she added. “So much to brush up on and super excited for what’s next to come. See you in Miami 🌴”

After a challenging year marked by injuries and heartbreak, Tia Jones seems to be stepping forward-focused, fast, and finally free.

Tia Jones trying to turn the page

March was brutal for Tia Jones and Xavier Worthy as they found themselves at the center of headlines for their breakup. Their breakup wasn’t just a private heartache, it has turned into a full-blown legal battle. While it lingers. Worthy is trying to focus on Football, and Tia has somehow picked up the pieces on the track.

She skipped the Texas Relays last year to focus on the Olympic Trials. But with everything boiling over in her personal life, this season, she’s been going back to basics—and proving a point. On March 29, in scorching conditions, she ran a wind-aided 12.57s in the 100m hurdles. It was fast, fierce, and full of emotion. “A lot of people don’t understand how hard it is to go through things that you go through outside of track and field and still step on the track and do what you gotta do,” she said after the race. “But you know, I just put all my faith into God. I’m walking.”

She didn’t shy away from the weight she’s been carrying. “I do this for God. I am running under the testimony of Jesus himself,” she added. “So coming out here and just putting everything on the track, I just put my energy into the track. So that’s all I can do. Otherwise, I’ll fail.”  Fast forward to Grand Slam Track in Kingston, and Jones was back again, this time, not just running fast, but winning.