The inaugural season of the "Grand Slam Track" series, founded by Michael Johnson, kicked off this Friday in Jamaica. This event aims to enhance the attention and commercial value of track and field, but what exactly is it? And what impact will it have on the sport? Is it possible that it will land in the UK in the future?
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04-10, 2025Four-time Olympic champion Johnson announced the "Grand Slam Track" plan in June last year, ahead of the Paris Olympics. To continue the attention and enthusiasm that track and field receives during the Olympics, Johnson plans to hold four events annually, each lasting three days, bringing together the world's top track and field athletes.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Johnson stated, "My goal is to create the opportunity that athletes have been craving and to provide them with a stage to fully showcase their greatness, allowing them to participate in truly meaningful competitions. To do this, you have to have the best athletes competing against each other. That's the appeal of the world's most popular sports, and that's what we're trying to create."
The "Grand Slam Track" has garnered widespread attention before its start due to the participation of well-known athletes, generous prize money, and innovative competition formats. However, the exclusive focus on track events has sparked some controversy. Former European indoor long jump champion Jazmin Sawyers believes that without field events, the "Grand Slam Track" cannot achieve its goal of transforming track and field. She stated, "He (Johnson) talks about revolutionizing the sport, but in its current form, that's simply not possible. Track and field is a whole, and it's this sport that has made him who he is today."
In addition to the "Grand Slam Track," other organizations are also actively adapting to the new landscape of track and field. World Athletics announced a new event last year, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, which includes field events and will be held for the first time in 2026, with the champion receiving $150,000 in prize money. World Athletics is also exploring new ways to attract more viewers to track and field events outside of the Olympics, including the World Athletics Road Running Championships. Diamond League CEO Peter Stastny welcomed the new competition but also expressed concerns about potential schedule conflicts that could harm athletes and organizers.
Johnson responded, "We have had multiple conversations with World Athletics and have listened carefully to their feedback over the years. They want to promote the sport in the United States, increase athlete income, and encourage more innovation. We took all of these factors into account when creating the 'Grand Slam Track.' The purpose of creating the 'Grand Slam Track' is to achieve all of these goals."
