The considerate constructing of the 400-meter subject for the 2025 Grand Slam Monitor is fascinating.
GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Pronounces Signings of Quincy Corridor & Matthew Hudson-Smith
The 400m Paris Olympic podium is now locked in to compete in all 4 Slams of the 2025 season; Muzala Samukonga was introduced as a signee final month.
New York, NY (October eleventh, 2024) – Grand Slam Monitor™, the brand new international dwelling {of professional} monitor competitors, launched earlier this 12 months by four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, at this time formally introduced the signings of Olympic 400m gold medalist Quincy Corridor and Olympic 400m silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith. These signings mark a historic second for Grand Slam Monitor™, because it now has all three medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympic 400m podium, with Muzala Samukonga, who received bronze, already on board.
“Quincy and Matthew are incredible additions to Grand Slam Monitor™,” stated Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and Commissioner. “They’ve each had unbelievable seasons, particularly with their performances in Paris, and so they’re clearly on the high of their sport. What we’re constructing right here is all about bringing collectively the perfect athletes worldwide and creating actual competitors that followers can get behind. Quincy and Matthew are the form of racers who can elevate any occasion, and I’m trying ahead to seeing what they create to the desk in our inaugural season.”
Corridor, a Kansas Metropolis native, established himself as one of many nation’s high sprinters on the College of South Carolina, the place he turned a four-time All-American and received the 2019 NCAA Championship. He made an unforgettable Olympic debut in Paris, profitable gold within the 400m with a personal-best time of 43.40. His efficiency, which broke a 16-year drought for the U.S. within the occasion, made him the fourth-fastest 400m runner of all time. His victory on the Olympics capped off a formidable 2023 season, which included a bronze medal within the 400m on the World Championships and a gold medal within the 4x400m relay. Corridor is ready to proceed his dominant rise on the world stage with Grand Slam Monitor™.
“It is a nice alternative with Grand Slam Monitor™,” stated Corridor. “Successful gold in Paris was an enormous second for me, however I’m all the time searching for the following problem, and this league is giving us one thing new. I really like the thought of a league centered on racing head-to-head in opposition to the perfect on the earth, which provides us a brand new platform to do this. I do know there’s much more I can do, and I’m able to see how far I can push myself on this league.”
Hudson-Smith, one among Nice Britain’s most adorned sprinters, made his third Olympic look in Paris 2024, delivering one of many most interesting performances of his profession. Hudson-Smith took dwelling silver within the 400m, setting a brand new European document and private better of 43.44, simply behind Corridor in one of many quickest Olympic 400m races ever. Along with his particular person silver, Hudson-Smith helped lead the Nice Britain 4x400m relay workforce to a bronze medal, breaking the British document. With six British titles and a number of international medals, together with silver and bronze on the World Championships and 4 golds on the European Championships, Hudson-Smith has solidified his standing as one of many high 400m runners on the earth.
“I’ve been racing for a very long time, and what actually stands out about Grand Slam Monitor™ is the prospect to strategy the game from a unique approach,” stated Hudson-Smith. “I’ve had success on the world stage, however this league creates a brand new alternative to compete in another way. I’m able to carry my expertise, preserve bettering, and race alongside a number of the greatest athletes on the earth. It’s a good time for monitor, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Annually, 48 athletes will likely be named to the league as Grand Slam Monitor™ Racers. Corridor and Hudson-Smith be a part of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Josh Kerr, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Muzala Samukonga, and Clement Ducos because the Racers introduced as signees up to now. These racers are chosen by the Grand Slam Monitor™ Racing Committee based mostly on a mix of things to incorporate the quickest and greatest racers in every race group, with a concentrate on fierce rivalries and thrilling aggressive racing. Grand Slam Monitor™ Racers decide to racing in all 4 Slams per 12 months. They may obtain an annual base compensation for racing in every Slam and are eligible for complete prize cash. These Grand Slam Monitor™ Racers will obtain annual contracts, entry to the Grand Slam Monitor™ content material and knowledge providers workforce, inclusion within the league collective, group licensing, new income alternatives, and world-class athlete help providers all through the season. Grand Slam Monitor™ Racers are compensated below contract to race and promote the league and obtain extra advertising and marketing and branding help.
The remaining 48 racers will likely be referred to as Grand Slam Monitor™ Challengers and will likely be paid a set look payment to compete at particular person Slams. The Grand Slam Monitor™ Racing Committee chooses Grand Slam Monitor™ Challengers based mostly on varied components, together with current performances and essentially the most intriguing athletes and matchups.
Racers and Challengers will likely be assigned to compete in one of many following classes and can all race in two occasions throughout every Slam: brief sprints (100m/200m), brief hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), lengthy sprints (200m/400m), lengthy hurdles (400H/400m), brief distance (800m/1500m), or lengthy distance (3000m/5000m). The mixed ending order between the 2 races will decide all opponents’ remaining placement scores. Within the occasion of a tie throughout the 2 occasions, the athlete who had the quickest mixed time throughout the 2 races will likely be deemed the winner. The winner of every Slam group will take dwelling $100,000 in prize cash, and the Eighth-place competitor will earn $10,000. Grand Slam Monitor™ could have $12.6m of prize cash awarded throughout the slams every year along with the bottom compensation and look charges paid to racers.
The main target of Grand Slam Monitor™ is on head-to-head competitors, not profitable instances. There will likely be no rabbits or pacing lights. Every Slam is equally necessary as another, could 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 personalized kits of their desired model. Grand Slam Monitor™ has no affiliation or sponsorship settlement with any shoe firm; all shoe corporations are thought-about necessary stakeholders and companions in selling our racers.
Grand Slam Monitor™ has secured greater than $30 million in monetary commitments from buyers and strategic companions for the league launch. Winners Alliance, a world, athlete-centric
industrial answer, and Johnson’s working associate was the lead investor within the first fundraising shut for the brand new enterprise. The funding within the league will assist in Johnson’s final purpose: to develop higher engagement with followers by selling monitor and subject’s greatest stars and reaching new audiences with distinctive, modern storytelling.
Ticket gross sales info will likely be launched quickly. For additional info, please comply with @GrandSlamTrack on all social media platforms and go to grandslamtrack.com.
About Michael Johnson
Born in Dallas, Texas, Michael Johnson is a Corridor of Fame monitor and subject star, universally acknowledged as one of many biggest sprinters ever. He received 4 Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships and held world and Olympic data within the 200m and 400m races. On the 1996 Olympic Video games in Atlanta, Johnson turned the primary and solely male athlete to win the Gold medal within the 200m and 400m on the similar Olympics. Since retiring from lively competitors, Johnson has change into a serial entrepreneur, investor, extremely sought-after efficiency mindset speaker, and an award-winning tv commentator. Johnson has been a pundit for the BBC’s protection of each Olympic Video games since Athens 2004 and stays an important voice on and advocate for the game. Johnson was inducted into america Monitor and Subject Corridor of Fame in 2004.
