Michael Johnson: “I believe I can save observe, however not observe and discipline”

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

Michael Johnson believes his new Grand Slam Monitor occasions in 2025 have the potential to save lots of “observe” however not “observe and discipline”.

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 people who ‘it’s best to love this’ or ‘it’s best to perceive this’ – that doesn’t work.

“Grand Slam Monitor is observe, that’s what we’re doing. I’m going to save lots of what I believe I can save; I believe I can save observe, I don’t suppose I can save observe and discipline.

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

He added: “My goal is to make the game of observe and discipline extra in style however you need to choose your battles to do this.

“Based mostly on in the present day’s viewers, when you have been going to construct a sport then you wouldn’t construct ‘observe and discipline’ as a result of it will not work. It doesn’t work to have 4 or 5 multi function and to then name it one sport, as a result of that’s what observe and discipline 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 vary that however with us (Grand Slam Monitor) coming from the skin and creating one thing very new, we will change it.

“We would have liked 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 in the present day’s viewers is to be decided and I’d love to have the ability to try this, however they’re very completely different occasions.”

Johnson, 57, believes discipline occasions usually are not television-friendly as a result of size of time they take to finish.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Getty)

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

Nonetheless, 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 you need to have the most effective competing towards one another. That’s what is compelling in regards to the greatest sports activities on the earth. That’s what we’re creating.

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

Johnson additionally needs 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 considered one of six teams of women and men – they’re brief and lengthy sprints, brief and lengthy hurdles, and brief 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.

(Getty)

The collection has additionally drawn delicate criticism for being very US-centric however Johnson says this was a part of his plan. Responding to current 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 Monitor occasion. We engaged with 10 cities across the globe and we determined for 12 months one which we wished to focus our vitality on the US.

“We’ll proceed to interact with cities. As we glance to increase and rotate, that [a UK event] definitely shall be a risk.”

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

“We have now had quite a few conversations with World Athletics and we have now listened to loads of what they’ve stated over time,” stated Johnson.

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

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

» Subscribe to AW journal right here, take a look at our new podcast right here or signal as much as our digital archive of again points from 1945 to the current day right here

The publish Michael Johnson: “I believe I can save observe, however not observe and discipline” appeared first on AW.