The US track legend has provided results of a research that back events like his soon-to-start Grand Slam Track.
American sprint legend Michael Johnson says track meets like his Grand Slam Track are long overdue after providing statistics justifying why it was important to start such events.
Johnson is set to launch the inaugural edition of Grand Slam Track this year with the first of the four legs slated for Kingston, Jamaica in April before Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles play host between May and June.
The four-time Olympics champion has laid bare results of a research that shows track and field is the top sport among American girls in high school while it is second best among boys at that level but has decried why the sport is not even among the top 10 in the United States.
Michael Johnson has fired back at Noah Lyles & Rai Benjamin for doubting Grand Slam Track’s credibility after securing a major broadcast deal ahead of its Kingston debut!
“Track & Field #1 girls and #2 boys high school sport in America. But not a top 10 pro sport. Why? No professional league to watch only the best compete regularly,” Johnson posted on X.
“This is why I created @GrandSlamTrack. [A] 14 yr old basketball player dreams of playing WNBA or NBA. 15 yr old tennis player dreams of being a top ranked WTA or ATP player playing Grand Slams.
“[A] 15 yr old track athlete dreams of being in the Olympics, which happens ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS. Track needs an exclusive league for the best athletes to entertain fans on an annual basis with competitions that are important in their own right instead of just practices for World Championships and Olympics,” he added.
Johnson is of the opinion that track and field has been left behind because athletes only train for medals at the World Championships and Olympics when they should have an annual competitive league.
However, there are still competitions like the Diamond League which keep athletes busy through the season but critics say the model and prize money in such events are not attractive enough to both supporters and the runners.
Johnson is hoping to change that through his Grand Slam Track where winners in each of the four legs will pocket $100,000 per event, something that is expected to increase the competition.
