The Sprint Capital of the world, Kingston will be one of the four cities that will host the newly formed Grand Slam Track, it was announced by conceptualiser Michael Johnson at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel Monday morning.

Johnson, a US sprint legend, did not reveal the dates but Kingston along with Los Angeles are the two cities declared already with the other two to be named.

“Jamaica has catapulted itself to the top of the sport and it’s only fitting for us that we honour that excellence in track that Jamaica has always represented and continues to represent. Grand Slam Track will take place in four global cities around the world. In addition to Kingston, we have already announced Los Angeles, which is where we’re based. Later this week, we will announce the other two major global cities, as Grand Slam Track Cities as well,” he explained.

“We’ve all watched the incredible success of Jamaican racers and we want to shine a light on that greatness as a top destination for major sporting events. Jamaican athletes have represented this country in an amazing way around the world for years. We think it’s time to come back here and highlight the sport, highlight the country here, for its excellence in the sport of track,” he reiterated.

Johnson the former world record holder in the 200m and eight-time Olympic gold medallist, has signed three Jamaicans in Roshawn Clarke, Rushell Clayton and Ackera Nugent. 

“We have three Jamaican runners currently signed as Grand Slam track racers who will compete, in all four of our events, in 2025. One of them is here with us today, with Roshawn Clarke. We are very excited to sign with Roshan. One of the things for us as a league is finding the new talent and new stars of tomorrow and Roshan certainly represents that, Under 20 record holder. And, you know, his excellence and what he represents and potential is something that we represent with our league. So we we are very excited to have Rashawn as as one of our first racers,” said Johnson.

“We signed Ackera Nugent who has the fastest time in the world who we wanted to be in hurdles this year. But another young talent that we recognized that we wanted to be a part of our league.

“And, Rochelle Clayton, two-time Bronze medallist is the world championship. With 2,500,000,000 people, interested in participating in this sport or following this sport. And so millions of lives will be tuning in to this event,” he noted.

“Certainly, you guys, I’m sort of speaking to the choir here. We all recognize the greatness of track and field as a sport. But this sport in its greatness has not sort of moved on and innovated and changed with the time. So, at the heart of Grand Slam Track is the type of change that will revolutionize the sport and present the sport for our modern audience,” said Johnson.