The track and field community might finally be looking at a solution to the lingering payment issues that have plagued the athletes for too long. As Michael Johnson’s highly anticipated Grand Slam Track waits for its ascension to the sky, it seems like even the Olympic icon has his reservations about who to invite in his new venture; and from the looks of it, his opinions might have a shed of Usain Bolt’s sneers in them.

The Jamaican is still considered the fastest man alive. Despite retiring years ago, Bolt continues to set the standard by which all track stars are measured. Now, Johnson faces the decision of which global stars to invite to ensure the success of the inaugural Grand Slam Track. He believes that some of Usain’s challengers still have significant ground to cover before they can compete on par with the top names in track and field.

Usain Bolt’s thoughts mirrored by Michael Johnson

A recent post on X by the official Grand Slam Track shared Johnson’s views about one of the country’s best NFL stars and thoughts about his chances of making it big at the upcoming track event. In recent years, the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill has come under the spotlight as one of the fastest sprinters of our time. However, Johnson seemed to hold a very different view on Hill’s claim to fame when it comes to track and field sports.

In an interview with SC, as shared in the social media post, Johnson is asked about who he thinks can make a good track star. “The first person I thought was the one who talks about it all the time, Tyreek Hill,” chuckled Michael. “He’s amazing, he’s quick, he’s fast, he talked about how he can beat Usain Bolt,” recalled Johnson, but he had to set the record straight.

“Usain Bolt is the fastest in the world, our athletes at Grand Slam Track are the fastest in the world, so, while Tyreek is fast on the field against those DBs, he will not be able to stay with our Grand Slam Track racers,” Michael didn’t beat around the bush too much. The Olympian’s views on the NFL star somewhat mirror what Bolt himself seems to hold about Tyreek.

The world’s fastest man is not ready yet to cede his throne

Last month, when the retired football celebrity Shannon Sharpe claimed that Hill might have a chance of beating Bolt in a 40y-dash, Bolt was quick to shut down the speculations with a rather jeering comment of his own. However, Hill isn’t the only one aiming to challenge Bolt’s lofty status within the track and field community. The 26-year-old reigning world champion sprinter, Noah Lyles, has also asserted multiple times that he intends to head to Paris for the 2024 Olympics with the goal of winning gold in four events (100m, 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m) – a feat even Usain never accomplished. Yet, Noah can’t afford to underestimate the challenges ahead, given the formidable competition waiting to thwart his ambitious plans.

On the other hand, Christian Coleman is the only runner in recent memory who has managed to pull off an impressive feat trouncing Usain’s previous achievement. At last month’s Super Bowl Combine, Coleman ran the 40-yard dash in 4.12 seconds, breaking Usain’s 4.22-second record from 2019. And yet, events like the 100m remain firmly under the Jamaican sprinter’s command.

Now, as 2024 marks an Olympic year and with the Grand Slam Track boasting a $30 million investment to attract the world’s top track stars, the stage is set to see which new name rises as the latest challenger to Usain’s achievements.