Grand Slam Track Set to Revolutionize Athletics Starting This Weekend

Kingston, Jamaica — The Grand Slam Track series, a revolutionary athletics competition aimed at elevating the sport and its athletes, will debut this weekend from April 4-6, 2025, in Kingston, Jamaica. Spearheaded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, the series promises to offer significant prize money and reshape the landscape of track and field.

“For years, track and field has failed to reach its potential,” Johnson stated, highlighting a concerning trend where no athletes from this discipline ranked among the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes. With the backdrop of dwindling prize funds for many athletes, Johnson aims to change the narrative with the Grand Slam Track series.

The inaugural meet will feature 48 elite “Racers” from around the globe competing for a portion of the $12.6 million prize purse. Each meet across four events will see athletes vying in different categories, including sprints and middle-distance races, but notably omitting traditional field events and relays. The event will be broadcast in 189 countries, bringing worldwide attention to the sport.

Johnsons’s ambitious new format includes significant cash incentives; the winner of each race will take home $100,000, while even the eighth-place finisher will receive $10,000. Athletes will be competing in pairs, with 24 Racers in each of the events. The series is intended to foster rivalries and increase exposure for participants.

Prominent competitors include Olympic stars like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who is regarded as the top contender in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. “It’s the first time someone is trying to make track into the big thing that every athlete thinks it should be,” said Yared Nuguse, a participant in the meet.

Johnson asserts that the goal extends beyond monetary rewards. “This is about unity and elevating our sport,” he declared. His vision seeks not only to create a more lucrative platform for athletes but also to enhance the fan experience.

Upcoming Grand Slam meets are scheduled for Miami in May, Philadelphia in late May, and Los Angeles in late June, aiming to continue the momentum established in Kingston. The entire operation promises to deliver compelling competition while concurrently addressing the financial challenges facing track and field athletes.