‘Be the Fastest’: Michael Johnson Lays Down Rules for Athletes to Join His $30 Million Grand Slam Track League

Amid the buzz surrounding the upcoming Olympics, track legend Michael Johnson is leading a not-so-quiet revolution and a revelation of sorts. After decades of experience, on and off the field, the 56-year-old hopes to revolutionize the sport. There are certain prerequisites to make it to the top echelons of the Grand Slam track league. So the 4x Olympic gold medalist launched his brainchild – Grand Slam Track League, for which he secured $30 million in investment. However, getting in won’t be a walk in the park.

Michael Johnson laid down what they plan to do and how athletes could secure a spot in the league set to debut in spring 2025. “From here is promoting the league,” the Olympian said while answering the question, “Where do we go from this starting line?” Johnson plans to promote the league and sign the 48 athletes needed to commence the 4-meet league.

The 56-year-old said by “the end of this year we’ll start to see you know who’s the fastest.” The 8x World Championships gold medalist expressed his desire to make GST the home for the fastest track racers in the world. “This league is about the fastest. So, if you want to be a Grand Slam Track racer, be the fastest,” Michael Johnson said in the official GST clip posted on X.

Johnson has already made headway in recruiting the talent he needs to make GST a premier league. Michael Johnson already has Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone onboard. McLaughlin-Levrone is going into the Olympics with a new world record she set at the US team trials. Unfortunately, while Michael Johnson also wanted her rival Femke Bol in the league, she pulled out.

Thankfully, athletes won’t have to worry about finances as part of Johnson’s brainchild. The 56-year-old has announced that GST will be a salaried league. Athletes will also earn part of the $12.6 million total, yearly prize money. It seems the Olympic champion is putting his $30 million investment to good use, and he’s already sought help from the conglomerate Winners Alliance. Unfortunately, not every track-and-field athlete will be eligible to participate, as there are certain caveats to it.

Michael Johnson explained the absence of field events

They call it track-and-field because field events differ from racing. Everything from Javelin throw to long jump and more makes up the ‘field’ part of track and field. However, Michael Johnson chose to focus on just the running aspect of the sport. 48 runners will participate in short sprints, short hurdles, long sprints, long hurdles, and short and long-distance races.

If you’re wondering why that’s the case, the League founder has you covered. Michael Johnson explained that the league will focus on “one event at a time,” and “never stray” from this approach. GST will have a 3 hour broadcast window. “We can’t put field events in there and fit it in,” explained the track legend. Instead, the league will give its “undivided attention,” to track athletes.

Whether Michael Johnson will expand the GST League to include field events in the future remains to be seen. However, that’s a far cry because the league won’t even debut until next year. While the Olympic icon wants to pit the fastest runners in the world head-to-head against each other, only time will tell if the league becomes successful.