GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Announces Signings of Nikki Hiltz, Grant Fisher, & Ronald Kwemoi
Roster of Racers continues to develop with elite monitor expertise from the world over
New York, NY (October fifteenth, 2024) – Grand Slam Track™, the brand new world residence of skilled monitor competitors, launched earlier this 12 months by four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, as we speak formally introduced the signings of a trio of Olympic distance runners: Nikki Hiltz, Grant Fisher, and Ronald Kwemoi. All three competed on the Paris Olympics this previous summer season, with Kwemoi claiming silver within the males’s 5000m, and Fisher selecting up two bronze medals within the males’s 5000m and 10000m. All three Racers will compete in all 4 Grand Slam Track™ Slams in 2025, which means followers are assured to see these superstars tackle their rivals in excessive stakes competitors 4 occasions subsequent 12 months.
The Armory, New York, NY, USA, photograph by Kevin Morris
“We are persevering with so as to add high tier expertise to our roster of Grand Slam Track™ Racers,” stated Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and Commissioner. “With Nikki, Grant, and Ronald, we’re assured elite efficiency and nice personalities, and we’re delighted to welcome all of them formally into the Grand Slam Track™ household. Nikki is a cornerstone of the 1500m circuit, and Grant and Ronald know one another very effectively from their extremely shut end within the 5000m in Paris. I’m sure monitor followers all over the world will likely be excited on the prospect of figuring out they’ll see these rivals face off on the monitor 4 occasions a 12 months in Grand Slam Track™.”
Hiltz, from Santa Cruz, California, ran collegiately for the Oregon Ducks and the Arkansas Razorbacks, and is a 6-time NCAA Division I All-American. With Oregon, Hiltz gained a National Championship and a Pac-12 Championship, each in 2015. They maintain the American report within the mile, and gained each the 2023 & 2024 US 1500m championship. This 12 months, Hiltz gained the silver medal on the 2024 World Indoor Championships and competed within the 1500m on the Paris Olympics, qualifying to the ultimate the place they completed in seventh place.
“I’m ecstatic to be a component of Grand Slam Track™,” stated Hiltz. “The alternative to compete in frequently scheduled elite meets like these Slams is a good step ahead for us as athletes, and I’m sure followers will love the idea. MJ defined the imaginative and prescient to me and it was apparent that being concerned on this was a no brainer. I can’t wait to get began.”
Fisher was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, however raised in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and represents the United States. The Stanford University product took residence two bronze medals this previous summer season at his second Olympic Games, stepping onto the rostrum for each the 5000m and 10000m. Collegiately, Fisher was honored eleven occasions with NCAA Division I All-American recognition, and gained two particular person Pac-12 Cross Country championships, plus the Pac-12 1500m title, and the out of doors 5000m nationwide championship in 2017.
“I’m thrilled to be half of Grand Slam Track™, which I consider is the longer term of our sport,” stated Fisher. “Looking forward to 2025, the chance to compete in 4 high-level Slams in opposition to the quickest males on the earth marks a significant shift for monitor and subject. Building on the momentum from the Olympics, this provides us Racers an thrilling probability to face off frequently, with massive prizes and bragging rights at stake. I can’t wait to hit the monitor subsequent 12 months and see who’s actually the perfect.”
Kwemoi, from Mount Elgon District, Bungoma County, Kenya, gained the silver medal within the 5000m in Paris. He is the primary Kenyan athlete to signal with Grand Slam Track™. Earlier in his profession, Kwemoi was a 1500m specialist, and nonetheless holds the world U20 report in that occasion. Now, he has transitioned into longer distances and can search to dominate his competitors in Grand Slam Track™.
“I’m very excited to be the primary athlete representing my nation of Kenya in Grand Slam Track™,” stated Kwemoi. “I need to proceed to check myself in opposition to the perfect runners on the earth, and Grand Slam Track™ is the right stage for that. This league is a good challenge to be a component of, and it will likely be very thrilling when the Slams start subsequent 12 months.”
Each 12 months, 48 athletes will likely be named to the league as Grand Slam Track™ Racers. Hiltz, Fisher, and Kwemoi be a part of a stacked roster of abilities introduced up to now in Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Quincy Hall, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Muzala Samukonga, and Clement Ducos. The 48 Racers are chosen by the Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee based mostly on a mix of components to incorporate the quickest and finest racers in every race group, with a deal with fierce rivalries and thrilling aggressive racing. Grand Slam Track™ Racers decide to racing in all 4 Slams per 12 months. They will obtain an annual base compensation for racing in every Slam and are eligible for full prize cash. These Grand Slam Track™ Racers will obtain annual contracts, entry to the Grand Slam Track™ content material and information providers group, inclusion within the league collective, group licensing and new income alternatives, plus entry to world class athlete help providers all through the season. Grand Slam Track™ Racers are compensated beneath contract to race and promote the league and obtain extra advertising and branding help.
The remaining 48 racers will likely be often called Grand Slam Track™ Challengers and will likely be paid a set look payment to compete at particular person Slams. Grand Slam Track™ Challengers are chosen by the Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee based mostly on a mix of components together with latest performances, and essentially the most intriguing athletes and matchups.
Racers and Challengers will likely be assigned to compete in a single of the next classes, and can all race in two occasions throughout every Slam: quick sprints (100m/200m), quick hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), lengthy sprints (200m/400m), lengthy hurdles (400H/400m), quick distance (800m/1500m), or lengthy distance (3000m/5000m). All opponents’ ultimate placement rating will likely be decided by their mixed ending order between the 2 races. In the occasion of a tie throughout the 2 occasions, it will likely be the athlete who had the quickest mixed time throughout the 2 races who will likely be deemed the winner. The winner of every Slam group will take residence $100,000 in prize cash, and the eighth place competitor will earn $10,000. Grand Slam Track™ may have a complete of $12.6m of prize cash that will likely be awarded throughout the slams annually along with the bottom compensation and look charges paid to racers.
The focus of Grand Slam Track™ is on face to face competitors, not profitable occasions. There will likely be no rabbits or pacing lights. Each Slam is equally as vital as another, may have its personal prize purse, and will likely be independently scored, with factors and former finishes not carrying over to the next Slams. All racers will compete twice over the three-day occasion, and all Slam occasions will meet World Athletics laws, with achieved marks being eligible for rankings and requirements.
Racers will compete in their very own sponsored kits, with out conventional hip numbers or bibs. Racers and Challengers are inspired to work with their sponsors to create custom-made kits, in their very own desired model. Grand Slam Track™ has no affiliation or sponsorship settlement with any shoe firm; all shoe corporations are thought of to be vital stakeholders and companions within the promotion of our racers.
Grand Slam Track™ has secured greater than $30 million in monetary commitments from traders and strategic companions for the launch of the league. Winners Alliance, a world, athlete-centric
business answer and Johnson’s working companion, was the lead investor within the first fundraising shut for the brand new enterprise. The funding within the league will help in Johnson’s final objective: to develop higher engagement with followers by selling monitor and subject’s greatest stars and reaching new audiences with distinctive, revolutionary storytelling.
Ticket gross sales data will likely be launched sooner or later. For additional data, please observe @GrandSlamTrack on all social media platforms, and go to grandslamtrack.com.
About Michael Johnson
Born in Dallas, Texas, Michael Johnson is a Hall of Fame monitor and subject star, universally acknowledged as one of the best sprinters of all time. He gained 4 Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships throughout his profession, and held world and Olympic data in each the 200m and 400m races. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Johnson grew to become the primary and solely male athlete to win the Gold medal in each the 200m and 400m on the similar Olympics. Since retiring from lively competitors, Johnson has grow to be a serial entrepreneur and investor, in addition to extremely wanted efficiency mindset speaker and an award profitable tv commentator. Johnson has been a pundit for the BBC’s protection of each Olympics Games since Athens 2004, and stays a key voice on, and advocate for the game. Johnson was inducted into the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2004.
