During this week, several stars of world athletics have been confirmed to have signed up for this attractive athletic tournament where the fastest athletes in the world participate and that seeks to revolutionize the market of sporting events in the world.
Its creator and visible face is none other than 4-time Olympic medalist and 8-time world champion, Michael Johnson.
Athletics fans are already rubbing their hands together when they hear about the new Grand Slam Track World League, from the legendary athlete of Team USA, Michael Johnson.
Last June, the great star of U.S. track and field made the official launch, and during the following months, world-class athletes have been gradually confirming their presence in this competition.
This event will bring together the fastest men and women in the world, who will fight for millionaire prizes never before seen in this type of competition.
A total of 96 athletes of 12 distances will compete 4 times a year, and a total of 12.6 million dollars in prize money will be distributed.
How is it determined who competes in the Grand Slam Track?
Each year, 48 athletes will be named to the league as Grand Slam Track runners. The remaining 48 runners will be known as Grand Slam Track Challengers and will be paid a flat participation fee to compete in individual Slams. Grand Slam Track Challengers are chosen by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on a combination of factors including recent performances and the most intriguing athletes and matchups.
During this week, 10 athletes who have already confirmed their presence in this sporting event have been announced: Marileidy Paulino, Jess Hull, Daniel Roberts, Shamier Little, Marco Arop, Devon Allen, Jasmine Jones, Jereem Richards, Luis Grijalva and Rushell Clayton.
They will join a select list of athletes already confirmed: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Quincy Hall, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Grant Fisher, Josh Kerr, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Ackera Nugent, Roshawn Clarke, Nikki Hiltz, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Ronald Kwemoi, Muzala Samukonga and Clement Duco.
“I am proud to welcome this incredible group of athletes to Grand Slam Track. They have all proven themselves on the biggest stages in the world, but this league gives them the opportunity to go head-to-head with each other on a consistent basis and bring something new to the sport. I can’t wait to see them step up and take their performances even further. We continue to bring in the fastest talent from around the world and we’re excited for fans to see what we’ve built, starting in 2025,” Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and commissioner, said across its various platforms.
“For me, it’s about making my country proud and continuing to raise the bar. Grand Slam Track. is a new chapter for me and I’m ready to continue to show what hard work and heart can do. This is a great opportunity for us as athletes to continue to make our sport shine on a world stage,” said Team Panam Sports Ambassador Marileidy Paulino.
This event will feature 4 annual Slams during the spring and summer season in four cities around the world. The inaugural Slam will take place in April 2025, followed by three Slams during the northern hemisphere summer months. The other three venues will be announced in due course, according to the organization.
It should be noted that all selected athletes will compete in two events during each Slam: short sprint (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprint (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000m/5000m).
The final score of all athletes will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races. In case of a tie in the two races, the athlete with the fastest combined time in the two races will be considered the winner.
In terms of prize money, the winner of each Slam group will receive US$100,000 and the eighth place finisher will win US$10,000, for a total prize pool of more than US$12 million.