Four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson criticized the sport’s willingness to allow internet personalities and athletes from other disciplines to race against elite sprinters, calling the practice “disrespectful” to dedicated track athletes.
Johnson’s comments come in response to recent high-profile exhibition races, including the 50-yard dash between Olympic champion Noah Lyles and popular content creator IShowSpeed in November 2024.
While Lyles easily won the race, IShowSpeed has continued to engage with the sport, even challenging women’s 100m world champion Sha’Carri Richardson.
Michael Johnson argues that such matchups undermine track and field’s professionalism, a sport requiring years of training and discipline.
In an interview with CBC Sports, Johnson expressed frustration over the lack of respect shown to track athletes compared to other sports.
“To be honest, it starts to get a little bit disrespectful to these athletes to think that only in track and field does this happen,” he said.
“Nobody expects that in any other sport. But in track, oh, yeah. We’ll just let anybody who says they’re fast come in and get a chance to prove it. Can’t go and just play in the NBA just because you’re a streetball legend. Doesn’t work that way.”
The debate is set to intensify with another highly anticipated exhibition race, NFL star Tyreek Hill, widely regarded as one of football’s fastest players, is scheduled to face Noah Lyles later this year.
The two have been locked in a heated rivalry over who truly deserves the title of “the fastest man.”
While such matchups generate buzz, Johnson insists that true competitors should prove themselves through proper channels rather than one-off spectacles.
“You wanna prove it? Go compete at NCAA’s, become an NCAA athlete, and then work your way in. That’s the process for every other sport,” he stated.
Despite his criticism, Johnson recognizes the entertainment value of these races and suggests a more structured approach.
As Grand Slam Track’s founder, he aims to add exhibition races without compromising the sport’s integrity in the new league.
“Now with Grand Slam Track, that is the process with this sport. But we will put those exhibitions in our program. So, yeah, IShowSpeed, come on, bro. We got some other content creators who think they’re quick too. We can match you up against them. We’re all about that,” he said.
How Grand Slam Track Differs from the Diamond League
The Diamond League is prestigious, but Johnson’s Grand Slam adds distinctions to improve fan engagement with fewer, more significant events.
With only four major events instead of 15, the Grand Slam ensures each competition holds greater importance and impact. Half of the athletes commit to all four meets, allowing rivalries to develop over time. The organizers select the other half based on recent performances and potential for exciting matchups.
Athletes earn a base fee for participation and compete for a share of a $12.6 million prize pool, dwarfing traditional meet payouts. Each athlete competes in two different races per meet, accumulating points based on their finishes.
The Grand Slam Track League will launch its inaugural season with four high-profile meets across major international cities.
The action kicks off in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4–6, then moves to Miami, USA, from May 2–4. The series continues in Philadelphia, USA, from May 30–June 1, before finally culminating in Los Angeles, USA, from June 27–29.