Tokyo 2020 Olympic 400m gold medalist Steven Gardiner has officially joined Grand Slam Track™ as a Racer and will compete for the remainder of the 2025 season, the league announced on Thursday.
The Bahamian quarter-miler, also the 2019 World Champion, adds more firepower to the Men’s Long Sprints Race Group., replacing reigning Olympic champion Quincy Hall. Gardiner is set to make his Grand Slam Track debut at the upcoming Miami Slam, which takes place from May 2–4 at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida.
“I’m delighted to announce I’m joining Grand Slam Track as a Racer for the remainder of the 2025 season,” said Gardiner. “I watched the Kingston Slam and knew I had to be a part of it. The innovations to the sport and feedback from the athletes who participated make me grateful for the opportunity to compete against the fastest men in the world on a regular basis. I can’t wait to see everybody down in Miami and, as usual, give my very best.”
Gardiner joins a stacked lineup that includes Matthew Hudson-Smith, Muzala Samukonga, and Jereem Richards, all of whom will be aiming to take the top spot in one of the league’s most hotly contested events.
Grand Slam Track, the brainchild of four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson, launched earlier this year with its debut event, the Kingston Slam, which paid out over US$3 million in prize money. The format, featuring Racers and Challengers from 24 countries, is the most lucrative and ambitious ever attempted in professional track and field.
“We’re delighted to announce the full field of competitors for the Miami Slam,” said Johnson. “These competitors will put on a festival of speed that I know will entertain fans around the world, just like we did in Kingston.”
The Miami Slam will be followed by events in Philadelphia (May 30–June 1) and Los Angeles (June 27–29). Winners of each “Slam” event receive US$100,000, making it one of the richest series in the sport’s history.
With Grand Slam Track broadcast in 189 countries and territories, fans worldwide will be tuning in to see Gardiner’s highly anticipated return to top-tier competition. Known for his elegant stride and clutch finishes, the 28-year-old now joins a reimagined track and field landscape with a global spotlight and serious stakes.