Upcoming season or competition: 2025 Grand Slam Track season | |
 | |
| Sport | Athletics |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2024 |
| Official website | Grand Slam Track |
Grand Slam Track is an upcoming professional track and field league that was announced in 2024 by American former Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson. The first season is due to run from April to September of 2025. After being initially announced in February 2024, the name of the league and other details were announced at a June 2024 press conference in Los Angeles hosted by John Anderson.
Development
Former sprinter Michael Johnson, who had the idea for Grand Slam Track since the 1990s, announced in February 2024 his intention to launch a track and field league in 2025, based on conversations he had with BBC colleague Garth Crooks. The league would include a series of events during the track season between April to September. Johnson was reported to be investing money in the league.
In April 2024, Johnson announced initial plans for the Grand Slam Track league, including a total of $30 million in funding from investors and strategic partners. Winners Alliance is reportedly the lead investor and operating partner. Speaking at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, the President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, said on the league: "I welcome innovation. I also welcome external resource. If you’ve got a rising tide, everyone benefits".
The League was working in 2024 with the companies Doubleday & Cartwright, Two Circles, and SRK Strategies, to respectively concentrate on the graphics, marketing and public relations for the Track and Field League.
In May 2024, former middle distance runner Kyle Merber confirmed he was employed as Senior Director of Racing. Olympic champion and former sprinter Morolake Akinosun was announced as the Head of Athlete Relations in September 2024.
Among the first athletes to sign-up for the events in June 2024 were double Olympic champion 400 m hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and 2023 world champion & 2024 Olympic silver medalist in the 1500 m Josh Kerr. In September 2024, it was confirmed that Cole Hocker & Yared Nuguse, the 2024 Olympic gold and bronze medalists respectively in the 1500 metres, had signed onto the league. During this month sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley also signed onto the league.
On 13 September 2024, LetsRun.com reported that the Grand Slam Track meet locations would be in Los Angeles, New York City, Kingston, Jamaica, and Birmingham with the events being held during two weeks in April and two in May, noting that they had not yet confirmed the information with a second source. In November 2024, Grand Slam Track officially announced the four locations as Kingston, Los Angeles, Miramar, and Philadelphia.
By 19 December 2024, the entire set of racers for the 2025 season was announced. The roster included 13 individual global gold medalists, although notable omissions included Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson.
Aims
The announcement of the League in February 2024 came with the stated aims to increase and boost the sport of track and field in public consciousness and to promote the sport outside the tent-poles of popularity provided by the four-yearly cycle of Olympic Games. One of the aims is for the Track and Field League to resemble other sports leagues, with global athletes. The League is also designed to help athletes gain exposure and sponsorship opportunities. As opposed to once every four years like the Olympic Games, the Grand Slam Track league will occur four times every year. The League is designed this way to see rivals have more frequent head-to-head match-ups in high-stakes, fierce, and thrilling competitions.
Broadcast
In February 2024, Michael Johnson said that Grand Slam Track has the goal to provide a TV-friendly product "to promote the sport’s biggest stars and draw new audiences through unique storytelling".
Field events were not included in the League because only one event will be shown in the broadcast at a time, in a three hour television window.
Premise
The league proposes four "grand slam" events, or meetings, a season from April to September, including one in Los Angeles, one in another American city, and two in international cities. In each "Grand Slam" event or meeting, there will be six event categories for males and females, listed below. Each event category will feature two disciplines that competitors will compete in over the course of a weekend.
For each category, there will be eight competitors in total. Four of these will be the "Grand Slam Racers", who, at the beginning of the season, will make the starting list of each of the four Grand Slam events, for a total of 48 consistent athletes present in each slam (four racers in six categories, male and female). They are chosen based on their world rankings and merits and are among the best in the world. The other four competitors will be the "Grand Slam Challengers", who are emerging athletes and will be attempting to earn a spot as a Grand Slam Racer for the following season. The Challengers will vary between Grand Slam meetings based on recent performances and potential matchups.
From first to eighth place, points will be distributed as follows for each individual event: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. The athlete with the best combined score between the two events in their category will be deemed the winner, or Slam champion, of that specific meeting. Should there be a tie, the lowest combined time will be utilised as a tiebreaker.
| Event Category | First Event | Second Event |
|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints | 100 m | 200 m |
| Short Hurdles | 100 m hurdles (W) 110 m hurdles (M) |
100 m flat |
| Long Sprints | 200 m | 400 m |
| Long Hurdles | 400 m hurdles | 400 m flat |
| Short Distance | 800 m | 1500 m |
| Long Distance | 3000 m | 5000 m |
Editions
The league officially launched in June 2024, prior to a planned debut season in 2025.
| Season | Info | Slam 1 | Slam 2 | Slam 3 | Slam 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Venue, City, Country | Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica | Ansin Sports Complex, Miami, USA | Franklin Field, Philadelphia, USA | Drake Stadium, Los Angeles, USA |
| Date | April 4 - 6 | May 2 - 4 | May 30 - June 1 | June 27 - 29 |
List of athletes
2025 Racers
| Event category | Athlete | Signing date | Best individual WC / Oly. finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints |  Kenny Bednarek (USA) |
12 Sep 2024 | 2nd (2020, 2022, 2024) |
| Fred Kerley (USA) |
12 Sep 2024 | 1st (2022) | |
 Oblique Seville (JAM) |
10 Dec 2024 | 4th (2022, 2023) | |
 Zharnel Hughes (GBR) |
19 Dec 2024 | 3rd (2023) | |
| Short Hurdles | Devon Allen (USA) |
22 Oct 2024 | 4th (2021) |
| Daniel Roberts (USA) |
22 Oct 2024 | 2nd (2024) | |
 Sasha Zhoya (FRA) |
10 Dec 2024 | 6th (2023) | |
| Freddie Crittenden (USA) |
19 Dec 2024 | 4th (2023) | |
| Long Sprints |  Muzala Samukonga (ZAM) |
26 Sep 2024 | 3rd (2024) |
| Quincy Hall (USA) |
10 Oct 2024 | 1st (2024) | |
| Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) |
10 Oct 2024 | 2nd (2023, 2024) | |
 Jereem Richards (TRI) |
22 Oct 2024 | 4th (2024) | |
| Long Hurdles |  Alison Dos Santos (BRA) |
26 Sep 2024 | 1st (2022) |
| Clément Ducos (FRA) |
26 Sep 2024 | 4th (2024) | |
| Roshawn Clarke (JAM) |
17 Oct 2024 | 4th (2023) | |
| Caleb Dean (USA) |
19 Dec 2024 | N/A | |
| Short Distance | Josh Kerr (GBR) |
27 Jun 2024 | 1st (2023) |
| Yared Nuguse (USA) |
4 Sep 2024 | 3rd (2024) | |
| Cole Hocker (USA) |
4 Sep 2024 | 1st (2024) | |
 Marco Arop (CAN) |
22 Oct 2024 | 1st (2023) | |
| Long Distance | Grant Fisher (USA) |
15 Oct 2024 | 3rd (2024) |
 Ronald Kwemoi (KEN) |
15 Oct 2024 | 2nd (2024) | |
 Luis Grijalva (GUA) |
22 Oct 2024 | 4th (2022, 2023) | |
 Hagos Gebrhiwet (ETH) |
10 Dec 2024 | 2nd (2013) | |
| Women | |||
| Event category | Athlete | Signing date | Best individual WC / Oly. finish |
| Short Sprints | Melissa Jefferson (USA) |
19 Sep 2024 | 3rd (2024) |
| Daryll Neita (GBR) |
21 Nov 2024 | 4th (2024) | |
| Gabby Thomas (USA) |
27 Nov 2024 | 1st (2024) | |
| Brittany Brown (USA) |
19 Dec 2024 | 3rd (2024) | |
| Short Hurdles | Masai Russell (USA) |
25 Sep 2024 | 1st (2024) |
| Cyrena Samba-Mayela (FRA) |
25 Sep 2024 | 2nd (2024) | |
 Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (PUR) |
25 Sep 2024 | 1st (2020) | |
| Ackera Nugent (JAM) |
17 Oct 2024 | 5th (2023) | |
| Long Sprints |  Marileidy Paulino (DOM) |
22 Oct 2024 | 1st (2024) |
 Salwa Eid Naser (BHR) |
21 Nov 2024 | 1st (2019) | |
| Alexis Holmes (USA) |
10 Dec 2024 | 6th (2024) | |
| Nickisha Pryce (JAM) |
10 Dec 2024 | 14th sf (2024) | |
| Long Hurdles | Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) |
18 Jun 2024 | 1st (2020, 2022, 2024) |
| Jasmine Jones (USA) |
22 Oct 2024 | 4th (2024) | |
| Rushell Clayton (JAM) |
22 Oct 2024 | 3rd (2019, 2023) | |
| Shamier Little (USA) |
22 Oct 2024 | 2nd (2015, 2023) | |
| Short Distance | Nikki Hiltz (USA) |
15 Oct 2024 | 7th (2024) |
 Jess Hull (AUS) |
22 Oct 2024 | 2nd (2024) | |
| Mary Moraa (KEN) |
21 Nov 2024 | 1st (2023) | |
| Diribe Welteji (ETH) |
19 Dec 2024 | 2nd (2023) | |
| Long Distance | Agnes Ngetich (KEN) |
1 Nov 2024 | 6th (2023) |
| Tsigie Gebreselama (ETH) |
1 Nov 2024 | 10th (2024) | |
| Elise Cranny (USA) |
21 Nov 2024 | 9th (2022, 2023) | |
 Nozomi Tanaka (JPN) |
21 Nov 2024 | 8th (2021, 2023) | |
2025 Challengers
Slam winners
2025 season
Men
| Event Category | Slam 1 | Slam 2 | Slam 3 | Slam 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints | TBD | |||
| Short Hurdles | ||||
| Long Sprints | ||||
| Long Hurdles | ||||
| Short Distance | ||||
| Long Distance | ||||
Women
| Event Category | Slam 1 | Slam 2 | Slam 3 | Slam 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints | TBD | |||
| Short Hurdles | ||||
| Long Sprints | ||||
| Long Hurdles | ||||
| Short Distance | ||||
| Long Distance | ||||
League records
Men
| Event Category | Event | Athlete | Time | Nationality | Racer or Challenger? | Date / Season | Slam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints | 100 m | TBD | |||||
| 200 m | |||||||
| Short Hurdles | 110 m hurdles | ||||||
| 100 m flat | |||||||
| Long Sprints | 200 m | ||||||
| 400 m | |||||||
| Long Hurdles | 400 m hurdles | ||||||
| 400 m flat | |||||||
| Short Distance | 800 m | ||||||
| 1500 m | |||||||
| Long Distance | 3000 m | ||||||
| 5000 m | |||||||
Women
| Event Category | Event | Athlete | Time | Nationality | Racer or Challenger? | Date / Season | Slam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Sprints | 100 m | TBD | |||||
| 200 m | |||||||
| Short Hurdles | 100 m hurdles | ||||||
| 100 m flat | |||||||
| Long Sprints | 200 m | ||||||
| 400 m | |||||||
| Long Hurdles | 400 m hurdles | ||||||
| 400 m flat | |||||||
| Short Distance | 800 m | ||||||
| 1500 m | |||||||
| Long Distance | 3000 m | ||||||
| 5000 m | |||||||
Prize money
The Grand Slam Track league offers a chance for athletes, should they win each of the four Slams in their event category, to win upwards of $400,000.00 USD in a single season.
| Place | Prize Money Per Slam |
|---|---|
| 1st | $100,000.00 |
| 2nd | $50,000.00 |
| 3rd | $30,000.00 |
| 4th | $25,000.00 |
| 5th | $20,000.00 |
| 6th | $15,000.00 |
| 7th | $12,500.00 |
| 8th | $10,000.00 |
References
- ^ Jan, Paras (25 April 2024). "Michael Johnson Secures $30 Million For A New Track And Field League". Forbes. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "Details and Information About Grand Slam Track". www.grandslamtrack.com. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- Axon, Rachel (April 23, 2024). "Michael Johnson secures funds for new track league". Sport Business Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Rashid Dar, Zahid (February 27, 2024). "Track Legend Michael Johnson Splurges $14 Million of Net Worth on Exclusive Project to Benefit Sport". Essentially Sports. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Dragon, Tyler (25 April 2024). "Legendary US Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson set to launch track and field league". USA Today. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Wilson, Jeremy (4 March 2024). "Josh Kerr blasts 'crazy' athletics prize money – and backs Michael Johnson's breakaway league". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Medow, Shawn (April 24, 2024). "Two Circles continues US push with role in Johnson's new track league". Sport Business. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Meyers, Christaline (May 1, 2024). "Olympic Legend Michael Johnson's $30 Million-Backed 'Unnamed' Track League Secures Support From Decorated American Athlete". Essentially Sports. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- ^ "World Champion Josh Kerr Confirmed For 2025 Grand Slam Track League". 2024-06-28. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
- Zeigler, Martyn (27 June 2024). "lJosh Kerr signs up to Michael Johnson's new Grand Slam Track league". The Times. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "Champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone first to sign with 'Grand Slam Track'". RTE. 18 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Davern, John (2024-09-04). "Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse Sign With Grand Slam Track". FloTrack. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Dragon, Tyler. "Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track adds two more Olympic medalists". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- "SC: Jakob back on top, half on Sunday, Sha'carri fades, Blake beats Americans, Brussels Day 1". LetsRun.com. 13 September 2024. Event occurs at 25:24.
- "Grand Slam Track Names Host Cities in U.S., Jamaica". sportico.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- "Massive Track and Field Snub as Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson Absent From Major Announcement". essentiallysports.com. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- "Grand Slam Track: All 30 athletes currently signed as Sha'Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles remain missing". pulsesports.ng. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- Jackson, Eric (February 27, 2024). "MICHAEL JOHNSON, WINNERS ALLIANCE TO CREATE FAN-FOCUSED TRACK LEAGUE". Sportico.com. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- Hardy, Matt (27 February 2024). "Michael Johnson to co-found professional track and field league". City AM. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- "Olympic champion Michael Johnson starting new track league". ESPN. 28 February 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- "Grand Slam Track | The new global league by legendary sprinter Michael Johnson". www.grandslamtrack.com. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- Carney, Abby (29 February 2024). "Olympic Legend Michael Johnson Is Launching a New Fan-Focused Track League". Runners World.
- Sim, Josh (24 April 2024). "Michael Johnson raises more than US$30m for new track league". Sportsmedia.com. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
- "Oblique Seville Signs With Grand Slam Track, Joins Kerley And Bednarek In Short Sprints". Citius Mag. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Grand Slam Track Completes Racers Roster Signing Brittany Brown, Freddie Crittenden, Zharnel Hughes and Diribe Welteji". Citius Mag. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "Devon Allen Returns To Track In 2025 With Grand Slam Track, Daniel Roberts Also Signs With New Pro Track League". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- "Sasha Zhoya Signs With Grand Slam Track, Joins Allen, Roberts In Short Hurdles Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Alison dos Santos signs for Grand Slam Track". Athletics Weekly. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ "400m Olympic Medalists Quincy Hall and Matthew Hudson-Smith Sign With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- "Jereem Richards Announced As Signee With Grand Slam Track For 2025 Season". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Announces Signings of Ackera Nugent and Roshawn Clarke". www.grandslamtrack.com. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
- "Interview: NCAA Champion Caleb Dean Rounds Out Grand Slam Track Long Hurdles Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- "World Champion Marco Arop Completes Grand Slam Track's 800m/1500m Racers Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Olympic Medalists Grant Fisher, Ronald Kwemoi Sign With Grand Slam Track As First 3000m, 5000m Racers". Citius Mag. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- "Luis Grijalva Signs With Grand Slam Track As Long Distance Racer For 2025". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- "Hagos Gebrhiwet Signs With Grand Slam Track, Completes Long Distance Race Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- "Olympic medalist Melissa Jefferson joins Grand Slam Track". Inside the Games. 21 September 2024. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- "Daryll Neita Becomes First British Woman To Sign With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- "3x Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Thomas Signs With Grand Slam Track Ahead Of 2025 Season". Citius Mag. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ "Masai Russell, Cyrena Samba-Mayela and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn Sign With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag.
- "400m Olympic Champion Marileidy Paulino Signs With Grand Slam Track After Undefeated 2024 Season". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- "Olympic Silver Medalist Salwa Eid Naser Signs As Racer With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- "U.S. 4x400m Olympic Gold Medalist Alexis Holmes Signs With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- "Nickisha Pryce Signs With Grand Slam Track, Completes Long Sprints Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
- ^ "Grand Slam Track Signs Jasmine Jones, Rushell Clayton and Shamier Little". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- "U.S. Olympian, World Indoor Medalist Nikki Hiltz Signs With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- "Olympic Silver Medalist Jess Hull Becomes First Australian To Sign With Grand Slam Track". Citius Mag. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- "World Champion Mary Moraa Signs With Grand Slam Track For 800m/1500m Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ "Grand Slam Track Signs Tsigie Gebreselama, Agnes Ngetich As Long Distance Racers". Citius Mag. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ "Elise Cranny, Nozomi Tanaka Sign With Grand Slam Track, Complete Women's Long Distance Group". Citius Mag. Retrieved 21 November 2024.