Grand Slam Track names Kingston as host city for 2025 inaugural event

Grand Slam Track (GST), the global track and field league founded by four-time U.S. Olympic champion Michael Johnson, confirmed on Monday that Kingston, Jamaica, will be the host city for the inaugural event of its 2025 season.

The announcement was made at a press conference held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston.

Kingston joins Los Angeles as one of four cities set to host a Slam event, with two more locations expected to be announced this week.

“We are thrilled to bring Grand Slam Track to Kingston,” said Johnson, the league’s founder and commissioner. “Jamaica has such a strong history in this sport. The talent and love for the sport here make it a perfect fit for what we’re building. It’s going to be an incredible event, and we’re proud to have Kingston as one of our four Slams in our inaugural season to kick this whole thing off.”

The Kingston Slam will be held at the National Stadium from April 4-6. The three-day competition is expected to draw some of the fastest runners in the world, marking a significant moment in the league's debut season. Tickets for the Kingston Slam will go on sale on December 6 at 10:00 a.m. local time.

Sports Minister Olivia Grange expressed pride in Kingston’s selection. "Being chosen as a host city for Grand Slam Track is a big moment for Kingston and for Jamaica as a country," said Grange. "This is a chance for us to be part of something huge, bringing top athletes to our track and helping the sport grow in a new and exciting way. Fans will get to experience the sport they love up close, and it’ll be something special for everyone watching, both here and around the world. We look forward to welcoming track fans from across the globe to Jamaica in April for Grand Slam Track.”

Garth Gayle, president of the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), echoed the sentiment, highlighting Jamaica's legacy in track and field. “As the local governing body for the sport, we see this as a testament to our past and present athletes, whose achievements and legacy have established Jamaica as the track capital of the world. This event also marks an important milestone for the development of our future athletes, who will benefit from the opportunity to see the world’s greatest track stars up close and personal on a local calendar.”

Each year, Grand Slam Track will designate 48 elite athletes as Racers. The current roster includes top names from the global track and field circuit, with Jamaican athletes Ackera Nugent, Roshawn Clarke, and Rushell Clayton among those selected. Other Racers announced for the lineup include Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Quincy Hall, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Grant Fisher, Josh Kerr, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Nikki Hiltz, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Ronald Kwemoi, Muzala Samukonga, Clement Ducos, Marileidy Paulino, Jess Hull, Daniel Roberts, Shamier Little, Marco Arop, Devon Allen, Jasmine Jones, Jereem Richards, Luis Grijalva, Agnes Ngetich, and Tsigie Gebreselama.

These Racers are selected by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on a combination of factors, including the fastest and best racers in each race group, with a focus on fierce rivalries and thrilling competitive racing. GST Racers commit to racing in all four Slams per year. They will receive an annual base compensation for racing in each Slam and are eligible for full prize money. These GST Racers will receive annual contracts, access to the GST content and data services team, inclusion in the league collective, group licensing, new revenue opportunities, and access to world-class athlete support services throughout the season. GST Racers are compensated under contract to race and promote the league and receive additional marketing and branding support.

The remaining 48 racers will be known as GST Challengers and will be paid a set appearance fee to compete at individual Slams. GST Challengers are also chosen by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on a combination of factors, including recent performances and the most intriguing athletes and matchups.

Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the following categories and will all race in two events during each Slam: short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000m/5000m). All competitors’ final placement score will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races. In the event of a tie across the two events, the athlete with the quickest combined time across the two races will be deemed the winner. The winner of each Slam group will take home $100,000 in prize money, and the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000.

Grand Slam Track will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money across the Slams each year, in addition to the base compensation and appearance fees paid to Racers. The focus of Grand Slam Track is on head-to-head competition, not winning times. There will be no rabbits or pacing lights. Each Slam is equally important, with its own prize purse and independent scoring; points and previous finishes will not carry over to subsequent Slams.

All racers will compete twice over the three-day event, and all Slam events will meet World Athletics regulations, with achieved marks eligible for rankings and standards. Racers will compete in their own sponsored kits, without traditional hip numbers or bibs. Racers and Challengers are encouraged to work with their sponsors to create customized kits in their own desired style.

Grand Slam Track has no affiliation or sponsorship agreement with any shoe company; all shoe companies are considered important stakeholders and partners in promoting the Racers. Grand Slam Track has secured more than $30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners for the league's launch.