Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Grand Slam Track, the upstart athletics series founded by four-time Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson, announced Philadelphia’s Franklin Field as the final venue for its debut 2025 season on Thursday. Grand Slam Track will host events next year at Kingston, Jamaica, on April 4-6; Miami on May 2-4; and May 30-June 1 at Philadelphia. Dates and venue are still to be announced for the fourth venue, Los Angeles.
“Philly has a reputation for bringing intensity to every event, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for with Grand Slam Track,” said Johnson. “Philadelphia’s sports culture is something else and it’s going to elevate the competition.”
Franklin Field, which annually hosts the Penn Relays, will welcome a global lineup, including such US stars as two-time Olympic champion hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Paris Olympic 100m bronze medalist Melissa Jefferson, Paris 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell, Paris 400m champion Quincy Hall, two-time 100m Olympic medalist Fred Kerley, and two-time Olympic 200m runner-up Kenny Bednarek.
The 48 Grand Slam racers will compete in all four meets with contracts for a base payout and the chance to earn more with licensing and other revenue opportunities. Another 48 racers will be paid to compete in individual meets for appearance fees. Racers will compete in at least two events at each meet.
These include short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400m), short distance (800m/1500m), and long distance (3000m/5000m). Each competitor will have a final placement based on their finishes, with ties broken by the quickest combined times, with each Slam group winner taking $100,000 (95,000 euros) in prize money.
© 2024 AFP
