Alison Dos Santos, Clément Ducos and Muzala Samukonga are the latest signing to Grand Slam Track.
All three athletes were announced on Thursday as the next batch of competitors who will join Michael Johnson’s track league in 2025, according to a press release.
They will join the roster of “Racers,” which means they must compete in all four of the Slams, are in line to receive a base appearance fee and will be eligible for the league’s prize money.
“We have built Grand Slam Track to serve Track fans all around the world, and having Clement, Alison and Muzala as part of the league will help ensure this,” Johnson said in a statement. “Track is the world’s oldest sport, and is beloved across the entire globe. We want to be a league that cherishes and celebrates that fact. We’re thrilled that each of these Racers sees our vision, and wants to help build a league the world can watch and enjoy together.”
Dos Santos, from Brazil, and Ducos typically race in the 400m hurdles, while and Samukonga specialized in the 400m. Dos Santos won his second straight bronze medal in the event in 47.26 at the Paris Olympics in August. His personal best in the 400m hurdles is 46.29, which is third all-time. Ducos, from France, placed fourth in the event in 47.76 at the Paris Games.
“I am very proud to be the first Brazilian to join this league, and look forward to representing my country on the biggest stage, across all four Slams,” Dos Santos said in a statement. “I am excited by the format of this league, and to have the opportunity to compete for big prizes and bragging rights against my rivals in this sport is a great situation to be in. I am sure the fans around the world will enjoy the spectacle we create, and I can’t wait to see so many of them at the Slams in 2025.”
Meanwhile, Samukonga won bronze in the 400m in Paris in 43.74, the first Olympic track and field medal for Zambia since 1996.
“I’m excited to be able to continue racing at a high level against great competition across all four Slams,” Samukonga said in a statement. “As soon as I heard about GST, I wanted to be involved, and now I can look ahead to some great races next year. This project will allow us as athletes to showcase ourselves in many new ways, and that is a very enticing prospect.”
The three newest members of Johnson’s league will be part of the 48 athletes who will compete in Grand Slam Track, which will be held in 2025 in four cities. The league aims to recruit the top talent in track and compensate athletes with the some of highest cash prizes in the sport.
Competitors will be classified as “Racers” or “Challengers” based on recent performances and what matchups would generate the most interest.
The winner of each Slam group will receive $100,000 in prize money and the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000.
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