Grand Slam Track Commissioner Michael Johnson has declared the inaugural staging of the new track and field league a success, hailing the energy and performances on the track even as the event struggled to fill seats at Kingston’s National Stadium over its three-day run.
“You can tell by the smile on my face — it was amazing. It was great. It was fantastic,” said Johnson during the post-meet media briefing on Sunday. “The athletes were happy — they can’t stop talking about the experience. The fans loved it. Social media’s been buzzing. It’s all anyone in the track world is talking about — and that’s exactly what we wanted.”
Despite the low spectator turnout — widely attributed to ticket prices and the event’s close proximity to the recently concluded ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls’ Championships — Johnson was upbeat about the league’s direction. He acknowledged there were areas for improvement but emphasized that the quality of competition validated their vision for the sport’s evolution.
“Obviously, there are some things we want to tweak. This was our first one. So, for a debut, we felt like we did pretty well,” Johnson said.
Johnson highlighted several key moments from the weekend, including the emotional podium scenes with each Slam champion, which he described as the culmination of months of planning and partnership with athletes.
“Each moment was special. Some of our Racers I’ve worked with before, and others I met here for the first time,” he said. “They were all so excited about what we’re building. When they stood on that podium, it was a full-circle moment. We envisioned this together — and now it’s real.”
Among the standout performances was Olympic champion Manuel Wanyonyi, who impressed across two events, including the 1500m. Johnson singled him out as a personal MVP.
“He came into the 1500m unafraid and put on a show. That’s what this league is about — embracing the challenge and competing hard,” Johnson said, while confirming that the league will crown a male and female Grand Slam Track Racer of the Year after each full circuit of meets.
Johnson also referenced a now-viral video clip of him celebrating wildly in the stands during the Long Sprint 400m final won by Salwa Eid Naser in a world-leading 48.67 in what was perhaps the most dramatic race of the weekend.
“There’s that clip going around of me looking like an idiot, really! But it was pure magic,” he laughed. “It wasn’t about the time — it was about seeing Olympic champions battling it out to become Slam champions. The stadium was electric.”
Looking ahead, Johnson is optimistic that momentum will build going into the Miami stop, especially now that both athletes and fans have had their first real taste of what Grand Slam Track offers.
“Now that the athletes have experienced it and fans understand the format, I think we’ll see even better performances and more engagement. The parity in this league is real — you're not going to see the same winner every time,” he said, even noting that not even Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is a guaranteed victor every round.
As for athlete interest, Johnson confirmed that demand is rising.
“Thankfully, it’s not my phone that’s ringing — it’s Kyle Merber, our Director of Racing. And yes, the phone’s been ringing non-stop,” he said. “Athletes want in.”
One notable absence from Kingston was Noah Lyles, but Johnson left the door open — with a bit of friendly fire.
“Listen to what Kenny Bednarek said — the invitation is open. You either come get the smoke or you don’t. It’s up to you,” he said.
Despite the empty seats, Johnson believes the foundation has been set.
“We’ve developed something special here,” he said. “We’ve seen what this format can produce — dramatic finishes, world-class performances, and engaged athletes. We’ll keep tweaking, keep improving. This is just the beginning.”