Some big names skip Grand Slam Track's launch

What is being billed as a "revolution" for the sport of athletics gets under way in Kingston on April 4 with the opening meeting of United States sprinting legend Michael Johnson's ambitious Grand Slam Track series.

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KINGSTON - What is being billed as a "revolution" for the sport of athletics gets under way in Kingston on April 4 with the opening meeting of United States sprinting legend Michael Johnson's ambitious Grand Slam Track series.

Four-time Olympic gold medalist Johnson believes the four-event circuit represents a landmark moment for athletics, a bold new attempt to reinvigorate interest in the sport after years of decline.

Johnson, 57, says the format of his new circuit — which promises to create more head-to-head races between the world's best track athletes — represents a winning formula that will bring eyeballs back to the sport outside the pinnacle of Olympic competition.

"People love racing. People want to see the best of the best. And at the core of Grand Slam Track is the best of the best athletes, only the fastest, competing head-to-head against one another four times a year," Johnson said of his new circuit in 2024.