by RBR Admin
The thoughtful building of the 400-meter field for the 2025 Grand Slam Track is fascinating.
GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Announces Signings of Quincy Hall & Matthew Hudson-Smith
The 400m Paris Olympic podium is now locked in to compete in all four Slams of the 2025 season; Muzala Samukonga was announced as a signee last month.
New York, NY (October 11th, 2024) – Grand Slam Track™, the new global home of professional track competition, launched earlier this year by four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, today officially announced the signings of Olympic 400m gold medalist Quincy Hall and Olympic 400m silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith. These signings mark a historic moment for Grand Slam Track™, as it now has all three medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympic 400m podium, with Muzala Samukonga, who won bronze, already on board.
“Quincy and Matthew are fantastic additions to Grand Slam Track™,” said Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and Commissioner. “They’ve both had incredible seasons, especially with their performances in Paris, and they’re clearly at the top of their game. What we’re building here is all about bringing together the best athletes worldwide and creating real competition that fans can get behind. Quincy and Matthew are the kind of racers who can elevate any event, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they bring to the table in our inaugural season.”
Hall, a Kansas City native, established himself as one of the nation’s top sprinters at the University of South Carolina, where he became a four-time All-American and won the 2019 NCAA Championship. He made an unforgettable Olympic debut in Paris, winning gold in the 400m with a personal-best time of 43.40. His performance, which broke a 16-year drought for the U.S. in the event, made him the fourth-fastest 400m runner of all time. His victory at the Olympics capped off an impressive 2023 season, which included a bronze medal in the 400m at the World Championships and a gold medal in the 4x400m relay. Hall is set to continue his dominant rise on the world stage with Grand Slam Track™.
“This is a great opportunity with Grand Slam Track™,” said Hall. “Winning gold in Paris was a huge moment for me, but I’m always looking for the next challenge, and this league is giving us something new. I love the idea of a league focused on racing head-to-head against the best in the world, which gives us a new platform to do that. I know there’s a lot more I can do, and I’m ready to see how far I can push myself in this league.”
Hudson-Smith, one of Great Britain’s most decorated sprinters, made his third Olympic appearance in Paris 2024, delivering one of the finest performances of his career. Hudson-Smith took home silver in the 400m, setting a new European record and personal best of 43.44, just behind Hall in one of the fastest Olympic 400m races ever. In addition to his individual silver, Hudson-Smith helped lead the Great Britain 4x400m relay team to a bronze medal, breaking the British record. With six British titles and multiple global medals, including silver and bronze at the World Championships and four golds at the European Championships, Hudson-Smith has solidified his status as one of the top 400m runners in the world.
“I’ve been racing for a long time, and what really stands out about Grand Slam Track™ is the chance to approach the sport from a new angle,” said Hudson-Smith. “I’ve had success on the world stage, but this league creates a new opportunity to compete differently. I’m ready to bring my experience, keep improving, and race alongside some of the best athletes in the world. It’s a great time for track, and I’m glad to be part of it.”
Each year, 48 athletes will be named to the league as Grand Slam Track™ Racers. Hall and Hudson-Smith join Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Muzala Samukonga, and Clement Ducos as the Racers announced as signees so far. These racers are selected by the Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee based on a combination of factors to include the fastest and best racers in each race group, with a focus on fierce rivalries and thrilling competitive racing. Grand Slam Track™ 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 total prize money. These Grand Slam Track™ Racers will receive annual contracts, access to the Grand Slam Track™ content and data services team, inclusion in the league collective, group licensing, new revenue opportunities, and world-class athlete support services throughout the season. Grand Slam Track™ 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 Grand Slam Track™ Challengers and will be paid a set appearance fee to compete at individual Slams. The Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee chooses Grand Slam Track™ Challengers based on various 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). The combined finishing order between the two races will determine all competitors’ final placement scores. In the event of a tie across the two events, the athlete who had 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 have $12.6m of prize money awarded 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 as any other, will have its own prize purse, and will be independently scored, with points and previous finishes not carrying over to the following Slams. All racers will compete twice over the three-day event, and all Slam events will meet World Athletics regulations, with achieved marks being 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 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 our racers.
Grand Slam Track™ has secured more than $30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners for the league launch. Winners Alliance, a global, athlete-centric
commercial solution, and Johnson’s operating partner was the lead investor in the first fundraising close for the new venture. The investment in the league will aid in Johnson’s ultimate goal: to develop better engagement with fans by promoting track and field’s biggest stars and reaching new audiences with unique, innovative storytelling.
Ticket sales information will be released soon. For further information, please follow @GrandSlamTrack on all social media platforms and visit grandslamtrack.com.
About Michael Johnson
Born in Dallas, Texas, Michael Johnson is a Hall of Fame track and field star, universally recognized as one of the greatest sprinters ever. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships and held world and Olympic records in the 200m and 400m races. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Johnson became the first and only male athlete to win the Gold medal in the 200m and 400m at the same Olympics. Since retiring from active competition, Johnson has become a serial entrepreneur, investor, highly sought-after performance mindset speaker, and an award-winning television commentator. Johnson has been a pundit for the BBC’s coverage of every Olympic Games since Athens 2004 and remains a crucial voice on and advocate for the sport. Johnson was inducted into the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2004.
