Grand Slam Track continues to build its ranks on a weekly basis and Tuesday announced the signings of 10 athletes who will join the league in 2025.
Marileidy Paulino, Jess Hull, Daniel Roberts, Shamier Little, Marco Arop, Devon Allen, Jasmine Jones, Jereem Richards, Luis Grijalva and Rushell Clayton will also join the league as “Racers.” That means each of the 48 designated “Racers” will appear in all four Grand Slam Track next year. There are just 18 slots left to fill on the initial roster.
“I’m proud to welcome this incredible group of athletes to Grand Slam Track,” league founder Michael Johnson said in a statement. “They’ve all proven themselves on the world’s biggest stages, but this league gives them a chance to face each other consistently and bring something new to the sport. I can’t wait to see how they step up and take their performances even further. We continue to add the fastest talent from all over the world, and we’re so excited for fans to see what we’ve built, starting in 2025.”
The latest additions specialize in range of events from the 110m hurdles, 400m, 1,500m and the 5,000m and are part of Johnson’s pledge to feature interesting matchups in each of the four planned meets.
Marileidy Paulino
Marileidy Paulino shined at the Paris Olympic in August as she made history for the Dominican Republic by breaking the women’s 400m Olympic record and becane the first woman from her country to win an Olympic gold medal. Paulino is the women’s top ranked 400m runner and stacked accolades prior to the Paris Games with a gold at the 2023 World Championships, silver at the 2022 World Championships and silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Jess Hull
Jess Hull brings her middle distance expertise to the league all the way from Australia after winning silver in the 1,500m at the Paris Games. She is the world record holder in the 2,000m and has continued to lower the times in the Australian and Oceanian women’s mile.
Daniel Roberts
Daniel Roberts won silver for Team USA in the 110m hurdles at the Paris Games and bronze at the 2023 World Championships. He is a three-time U.S. champion with ambitions to remain one of the top hurdles in the world.
Shamier Little
Shamier Little was a crucial force in helping Team USA’s women’s 4x400m relay squad win gold at the Paris Olympics this past summer. She also helped the mixed relay team reach the podium with a silver medal. Little is also a force in the hurdles and holds a pair of World Championship silver medals in the 400m hurdles.
Marco Arop
Marco Arop is a Canadian middle-distance runner who looks to continue his winning ways after taking gold in the 800m at the 2023 World Championships along with a silver medal at the Paris Games this summer.
Devon Allen
Devon Allen has pulled double duty on the track and as a professional football player. His 12.84 personal best in the 110m hurdles is the third fastest time in history in the event. He competed for Team USA in the 110m hurdles in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games. His sights are set on continuing to make an even greater impact on the track after playing wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.
Jasmine Jones
Jasmine Jones is quickly rising up the American sprinting depth chart after making the final in the 400m hurdles at the Paris Games with a personal best of 52.29. She is not what fifth fastest woman in the history of that event.
Jereem Richards
Jereem Richards represents Trinidad and Tobago and is a rising 200m and 400m talent. He struck gold in the 400m at the 2033 World Indoor Championships.
Luis Grijalva
Luis Grijalva brings distance experience to the league and has thrived in the 1,500m, 5,000m and 10,000. He competed for Guatemalan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the Paris Olympics.
Rushell Clayton
Rushell Clayton won two-bronze medals in the 400m hurdles at World Championships in 2019 and 2023 and is the second-fastest Jamaican of all time in the event. She placed fifth in the 400m hurdles at the Paris Games.
As the Grand Slam Track continues to grow, the goal is for 48 “Racers” and 48 “Challengers” to compete in four meets in 2025. The winners of each event will take home $100,000 cash prizes and eighth place finishers will win $10,000. Johnson has pledged to significantly boost the prize money in track and made headlines before the Paris Games with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was announced as his first signing.
