Michael Johnson: “I feel I can save monitor, however not monitor and area”

Former world 200m and 400m record-holder tells BBC why his new Grand Slam Observe collection options runners solely

Michael Johnson believes his new Grand Slam Observe occasions in 2025 have the potential to avoid wasting “monitor” however not “monitor and area”.

The primary assembly takes place in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 4 subsequent 12 months adopted by Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Nevertheless it options working occasions solely, which has drawn criticism.

“I like this sport,” he informed BBC on Wednesday (Nov 27). “However I’ve had time to reconcile the truth that if we proceed to simply do the identical factor, inform those that ‘it is best to love this’ or ‘it is best to perceive this’ – that doesn’t work.

“Grand Slam Observe is monitor, that’s what we’re doing. I’m going to avoid wasting what I feel I can save; I feel I can save monitor, I don’t suppose I can save monitor and area.

“Placing the 2 collectively works on the Olympics and World Championships, however I’m unsure it really works once you’re making an attempt to create an expert sport outdoors of these world competitions.”

He added: “My goal is to make the game of monitor and area extra in style however it’s important to decide your battles to do this.

“Primarily based on immediately’s viewers, when you have been going to construct a sport then you wouldn’t construct ‘monitor and area’ as a result of it will not work. It doesn’t work to have 4 or 5 multi functional and to then name it one sport, as a result of that’s what monitor and area is.

“There’s no similarity in any respect between pole vaulters and sprinters or shot putters and triple jumpers. As a sport it’s very tough to alter that however with us (Grand Slam Observe) coming from the skin and creating one thing very new, we will change it.

“We wanted to get round a single narrative. Solely the quickest is that narrative. Whether or not we will in the end create one thing for the sector occasions for immediately’s viewers is to be decided and I’d love to have the ability to do this, however they’re very completely different occasions.”

Johnson, 57, believes area occasions are usually not television-friendly because of the size of time they take to finish.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Josh Kerr and Matt Hudson-Smith are among the many athletes who’ve signed as much as the collection thus far with more moderen signings together with sprinters Gabby Thomas and Daryll Neita.

Nevertheless, huge names like Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Femke Bol and Keely Hodgkinson haven’t signed. Or not but anyway.

“My goal is to create the alternatives that athletes have at all times wished and to place them on a stage that’s worthy of their greatness, with races that imply one thing,” Johnson continued.

“To do this it’s important to have the most effective competing towards one another. That’s what is compelling concerning the greatest sports activities on the earth. That’s what we’re creating.

“We need to create a little bit bit extra jeopardy, greater stakes and higher narrative.”

Johnson additionally desires to make sure rivals are rewarded financially as in addition to a $12.6m prize pot, 48 contracted ‘racers’ will obtain a base wage to compete in any respect 4 slams.

At every slam the racers are joined by 48 challengers in certainly one of six teams of women and men – they’re quick and lengthy sprints, quick and lengthy hurdles, and quick and lengthy distance – with every athlete working in two occasions.

Athletes obtain factors for his or her ending place in each races. The mixed outcomes decide every slam’s champion – and the recipient of $100,000.

The collection has additionally drawn gentle criticism for being very US-centric however Johnson says this was a part of his plan. Responding to latest claims by UK Athletics that the British governing physique turned down the chance to get entangled, he stated: “UK Athletics didn’t decline to have a Grand Slam Observe occasion. We engaged with 10 cities across the globe and we determined for 12 months one which we wished to focus our power on the US.

“We’ll proceed to have interaction with cities. As we glance to develop and rotate, that [a UK event] actually can be a chance.”

Grand Slam Observe additionally finds itself in competitors with established occasions just like the Diamond League circuit. World Athletics has additionally just lately been creating new occasions equivalent to its World Athletics Final Championships in 2026 and there may be speak of a brand new treadmill world championships.

“We now have had quite a few conversations with World Athletics and we’ve got listened to a variety of what they’ve stated through the years,” stated Johnson.

“They need to develop the game within the US, for athletes to be paid extra, to encourage extra innovation within the sport.

“Once we sat all the way down to construct Grand Slam Observe we listened to that – we constructed Grand Slam Observe to do all these issues.”

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