Daryll Neita Joins Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League

Daryll Neita has become the first British woman to join Michael Johnson’s new athletics league, Grand Slam Track. The 28-year-old, who won silver as part of the Great Britain 4x100m relay team at the 2024 Paris Olympics joins a growing list of elite athletes in the competition which aims to elevate the sport and offer significant financial rewards. Michael Johnson the legendary American sprinter launched Grand Slam Track in June.

The league will offer a total prize fund of $12.6 million (£9.9 million) spread across four events with $100,000 (£78,683) as the top prize. The league will start in April 2025 with athletes competing in two events per meeting. Daryll Neita joins fellow British athletes Josh Kerr (1500m) and Matthew Hudson-Smith (400m) both of whom earned silver medals at the Paris Olympics.

In addition, international stars like Kenya’s 800m world champion Mary Moraa and Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser a former world champion will compete in the league. As a result, Grand Slam Track will bring a fresh format to athletics with two events each year held in the United States and a focus on high-level competition and energy.

“I’m really excited to be the first British woman in Grand Slam Track,” Neita said. “Racing twice in a weekend is exciting, and I can’t wait to compete in this new format.” Furthermore, the league has earned praise for its efforts to compensate athletes better, a point Michael Johnson has long advocated for as he has pushed for fairer pay for top competitors in athletics.

This new competition arrives at a time when athletics prize money is under scrutiny. For instance, World Athletics has announced similar initiatives including a global championship starting in 2026 which will offer $150,000 for gold medallists.