Michael Johnson’s long-anticipated Grand Slam Track league launched this past weekend in Kingston, Jamaica, debuting a bold, prize-driven format aimed at revitalizing professional track and field.
With over $3 million in prize money at stake, a championship-style format, and an elite roster of “Racers” committed to competing across all four stops, the vision was clear: fewer races, bigger stars, and real stakes.
The inaugural event delivered thrilling performances, upsets, and star-making moments—alongside teething issues like low attendance and broadcast missteps. But if the goal was to start a conversation and shift the paradigm, mission accomplished.
Here’s a full breakdown of what went down in Kingston—from performances and prize money to what’s next in this ambitious new track league.
READ MORE: Everything You Need To Know About Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League
The Highlights: Big Names, Big Wins
Wanyonyi Shocks the 1500m Field, Stakes Claim as Future Star
In just his third professional 1500m, 20-year-old Olympic 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi stunned the sport by toppling the entire Olympic medal podium—Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse, and Cole Hocker—with a devastating 51.58 final lap to win in 3:35.18.
Wanyonyi’s dominance over the weekend (2nd in the 800m to Marco Arop) earned him the $100,000 top prize in the 800/1500 group. He may have entered as an 800m specialist, but he left Kingston as a budding two-event force and the face of the new league.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Cruises, Teases 200/400 Showdown
Track’s biggest female star, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, lived up to the hype with an easy win in the 400m (50.32) on Day 3, part of the long hurdles event group. She confirmed plans to eventually race the 200/400 in LA—setting up a dream showdown with Gabby Thomas, Salwa Eid Naser, and Marileidy Paulino in the league finale.
She left Kingston with $100K and likely the loudest cheers of the weekend.
Grant Fisher Wins Smart, Not Fast
Fisher executed the most tactically savvy performance of the meet in the men’s 3000. After winning the 5000m on Day 1, Fisher calculated that a third-place finish in the 3000 would lock up the $100K prize. So that’s what he did—playing it conservative and letting others battle into the wind.
His strategy sparked debate (and some online ire), but Johnson himself acknowledged the format may need adjusting for long-distance races where tactics can undermine competition.
Kenny Bednarek Sweeps the Short Sprints
Bednarek quietly became the series’ top male scorer after winning both the 100m (10.02) and 200m (20.07). With 24 points and $100K in the bank, he now leads the $500,000 “Racer of the Year” standings. For a sprinter often overshadowed by Noah Lyles, this was a coming-out party.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Danielle Williams Rule the Wind
In blustery conditions, Jefferson-Wooden won the women’s short sprints with a 23.46 into a -4.7 m/s headwind, while Jamaican hurdler Danielle Williams claimed her group thanks to an 11.54 100m flat run (-3.4 wind). Both collected $100,000.
Full Prize Money Breakdown
Each event group winner (based on cumulative scores across two races) took home $100,000. Here’s how the payouts looked across key groups:
Men’s Winners
- Short Sprints: Kenny Bednarek – $100,000
- Short Hurdles: Sasha Zhoya (FRA) – $100,000
- Long Sprints/Hurdles: Alison dos Santos (BRA) – $100,000
- 800/1500: Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) – $100,000
- 3000/5000: Grant Fisher (USA) – $100,000
Women’s Winners
- Short Sprints: Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) – $100,000
- Short Hurdles: Danielle Williams (JAM) – $100,000
- Long Sprints/Hurdles: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) – $100,000
- 800/1500: Diribe Welteji (ETH) – $100,000
- 3000/5000: Ejgayehu Taye (ETH) – $100,000
Additional prize money was awarded to runners-up and place finishers, with $50,000 for second and descending from there. All Racers also earn base contracts to participate across all four meets.
Wind, Weather & Strategy: The Format’s First True Test
Kingston’s afternoon sessions were plagued by fierce winds and tropical heat. Sprint and distance events alike suffered in performance—athletes in the women’s 200m faced a brutal -4.7 m/s headwind, while the 5000m and 3000m were both tactical survival races rather than fast affairs.
This played directly into the hands of tacticians like Fisher, but also exposed a flaw: GST’s two-event point system can sometimes discourage racing for the win in Race 2 if an athlete has already locked up the title.
Michael Johnson admitted the distance format may need refining.
“The distance one was always going to be the ‘how’s this gonna work?’” Johnson said post-meet. “It worked for the first race. Not quite how I’d like it to for the second.”
What Didn’t Work: Empty Stands, Production Woes, and Missed Opportunities
Despite the hype, Grand Slam Track struggled to fill Kingston’s National Stadium. A lack of local promotion, logistical headaches (parking, traffic), and early start times meant the stands were often half-empty—even for marquee races.
The league also stumbled on broadcast execution. Fans were confused by scoring, left without real-time updates, and missed out on key data like splits and point standings.
For a league that markets itself as premium and athlete-driven, these are fixable—but crucial—details.
“Let’s be honest, we would have loved to have seen more spectators here,” Johnson admitted. “We’ll look at everything. We know there’s lots of things to improve on.”
What’s Next: Miramar, Florida – May 2–4
The next stop on the Grand Slam Track tour is just weeks away: Miramar, Florida, May 2–4. With only 5,000 seats at the Ansin Sports Complex, the optics should improve—and expectations are now clear.
Fans are eyeing key matchups, including:
- Another Wanyonyi vs. Arop 800m showdown
- SML’s possible 400/400H double
- Bednarek’s shot to stay undefeated in the sprints
Plus, the overall “Racer of the Year” race is underway, with $500,000 waiting at season’s end.
Grand Slam Track isn’t perfect—but it doesn’t need to be yet. Its opening meet showed that fans do want meaningful, high-stakes racing—even in April. The league produced breakout stars, unforgettable moments, and enough intrigue to carry the story forward.
There’s work to be done—on the format, the broadcast, and the crowd experience. But the foundation is solid.
