‘Best of the best’ to race in new athletics circuit: Michael Johnson
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Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is one athlete who has already signed up to Grand Slam Track.
PHOTO: AFP
LOS ANGELES – United States athletics great Michael Johnson announced on June 18 the launch of a new track league which will see the “best of the best” compete against one another at four elite meetings every year from 2025.
The four-time Olympic gold medallist said Grand Slam Track would debut in April 2025 with two three-day meets in the US and two international stops, with prize money of around US$3 million (S$4 million) at each meet.
One American venue will be in Los Angeles, host city of the 2028 Olympics, Johnson said.
“People love racing. People want to see the best of the best. And at the core of Grand Slam Track is the best of the best athletes, only the fastest, competing head to head against one another four times a year,” he added.
The meets will feature track races only, no field events, divided into categories of short sprints, long sprints, high hurdles, low hurdles, middle distance and long distance, with men and women’s races in each category.
Each category will feature athletes competing in two events per meet – short-sprint competitors, for example, will race at both 100m and 200m.
A total of US$12.6 million in prize money will be up for grabs across the four events, in addition to base pay and appearance fees.
The athlete with the best combined results from the two events in which they are taking part will receive US$100,000, and the second-placed finisher US$50,000, with the eighth-placed finisher taking home US$10,000.
The new circuit has won enthusiastic support from another US Olympic legend, Carl Lewis.
“If you go to any Grand Slam in tennis or golf, you know the best are gonna be there,” he said. “Right now (in track) you don’t know that.”
The league has already signed American 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who will be among 48 athletes under contract and is committed to competing in all four meetings of the season.
“This is the step forward that track needs to take it to another level,” said McLaughlin-Levrone, saying she relished the opportunity to race against the likes of Dutch 400m hurdles rival Femke Bol more frequently.
“That’s the whole point of Grand Slam Track – getting a more regular basis of the best of the best in each event.”
Another 48 athletes will be invited to take part according to “their track record and current form” and paid appearance fees to take part, meaning 96 in total will compete at each Slam.
A statement added that Grand Slam Track has already secured more than US$30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners. AFP
