GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Announces Signings of Caleb Dean, Diribe Welteji, Freddie Crittenden, Brittany Brown, & Zharnel Hughes.

Five Racers round out the class of 48 signed to compete in all four Slams of inaugural Grand Slam Track™ season.

New York, NY (December 19, 2024) - Grand Slam Track™, the new global home of professional track competition, launched earlier this year by four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, today officially announced the signings of Caleb Dean, Diribe Welteji, Freddie Crittenden, Brittany Brown, and Zharnel Hughes. These are the final five of 48 signed Racers to be announced, and all of them will compete in all four Slam events during the league’s upcoming inaugural 2025 season. 48 additional Challengers will be announced in due course to compete at the Slams in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. 

“We’re incredibly excited to announce the additions of Caleb, Diribe, Freddie, Brittany, and Zharnel to round out our first ever Grand Slam Track™ roster of Racers,” said Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and Commissioner. “This is one of the greatest collections of track athletes ever assembled, and we know fans around the world are eager to see them in action. Rounding out our 48 Racers with these five exceptional talents is superb, and we still have another 50% of the field for each Slam to announce as Challengers. We’ve been saying ‘Only the Fastest’ and we mean that; Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles will be the ultimate festivals of speed, and we can’t wait for Grand Slam Track™ to officially get underway in April.”

Fans are now able to buy tickets for the Slams in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles knowing that these five Racers will be in attendance and racing twice during each weekend. Tickets for all four Slams are on sale now. For more information, please visit https://grandslamtrack.com/events  

Caleb Dean is an American hurdler renowned for his prowess in the 400m hurdles. In 2024, he won the NCAA Division I Championships in the 400m hurdles as part of the Texas Tech team. He also excelled in the 60m hurdles indoors, securing an NCAA indoor championship title in that event with the Red Raiders. Dean is the first man in NCAA Division I history to win national titles in the 60-meter hurdles and the 400-meter hurdles in the same year. Dean's personal best in the 400m hurdles is 47.23 seconds, which ranks him among the fastest hurdlers in the world and the second fastest in NCAA history. The Crofton, Maryland native is a rising star in the sport and is expected to make a significant impact on the international stage in the coming years.

"Winning the National Championship was a huge milestone for me, but it's just the beginning,” said Dean. “I'm hungry for more. I want to represent the USA on the world stage and prove myself against the best. I'm focused on improving my technique and pushing my limits. The future is bright, and I'm excited to see what I can achieve, especially with the opportunity to compete in Grand Slam Track™."

Diribe Welteji is a rising star in the world of middle-distance running. The 22-year-old Ethiopian has already made significant strides in her career, winning a silver medal in the 1500m at the 2023 World Championships, and securing fourth at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. She has also excelled in the 3000 meters and the mile, showcasing her versatility as a distance runner. Welteji holds the world record in the road mile with her time of 4:20.98, which she set when she won the mile at the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga. With her talent, dedication, and impressive track record, Welteji is poised to become one of the dominant forces in middle-distance running for years to come. 

"Every race is an opportunity to push my limits and inspire the next generation of runners,” said Welteji. “I'm grateful for the support of my family, coaches, and fans, and I'm excited to continue making strides in my career. With the launch of Grand Slam Track™, I'm eager to compete against the world's best and elevate the sport of middle-distance running, whilst representing Ethiopia on the biggest stage."

Freddie Crittenden is an American hurdler, originally from Saint Louis, Missouri. Most recently, he placed sixth in the 110m hurdles final at the Olympic Games in Paris. He was also fourth at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Crittenden was the 2023 National Indoor champion in the 60m hurdles. He competed collegiately for Syracuse University, where he was a two-time First Team All-American and two-time Second Team All-American. Crittenden won the silver medal in the 110m hurdles at the 2019 Pan American Games, and will now turn his focus to competing at the highest level in Grand Slam Track™.

"Joining Grand Slam Track™ is an incredibly exciting moment for me,” said Crittenden. “I'm proud of my accomplishments in this sport, but I'm always striving for more. With the launch of Grand Slam Track™, I'm excited to compete against the best athletes in the world and showcase my skills on the biggest stage possible."

Brittany Brown is an American sprinter who has excelled in both the 100m and 200m events. She won a Diamond League Final in 2024 and secured a silver medal at the World Championships in 2019, both across 200m. Brown claimed the Olympic bronze medal in the 200m in Paris this past summer, and will look to build upon that success as part of Grand Slam Track™. With her impressive track record and dedication to the sport, the Iowa Hawkeyes product continues to inspire athletes and fans around the world. 

“I’m so excited to be a part of Grand Slam Track™,” said Brown. “This is a groundbreaking league that’s going to revolutionize the sport for fans and athletes alike. I can’t wait to compete against the fastest Racers in the world, and put on a show for the fans. This is a new era for track, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Zharnel Hughes, a British sprinter, has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of track. With a personal best of 9.83 seconds in the 100 meters, he has consistently ranked among the top sprinters globally. He holds national records in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. His performances have earned him numerous accolades, including Olympic, European, and World Championships medals, most notably an Olympic bronze as part of Team GB in the 4x100m relay in Paris this past summer and an individual bronze in the 100m at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest. Hughes has won four gold medals at the European Athletics Championships in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m (twice) respectively.

“I'm driven by the desire to be the best, to inspire others, and to leave a lasting legacy,” said Hughes. “The future of our sport is bright, and with the global popularity of track, I think now is the right time to join Grand Slam Track™. I can’t wait to get started, and bring my speed to all four Slams. I look forward to seeing the other Racers on the track, and finding out who the fastest of all is."

With the announcements of Dean, Welteji, Crittenden, Brown, and Hughes, the roster of 48 Racers for the 2025 Grand Slam Track™ season is set. The five stars announced today join the already announced: Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, Alexis Holmes, Quincy Hall, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse, Grant Fisher, Josh Kerr, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Ackera Nugent, Roshawn Clarke, Nikki Hiltz, Cyrena Samba-Mayela, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Alison Dos Santos, Ronald Kwemoi, Muzala Samukonga, Hagos Gebrhiwet, Clement Ducos, Oblique Seville, Sasha Zhoya, Marileidy Paulino, Jess Hull, Daniel Roberts, Shamier Little, Marco Arop, Devon Allen, Jasmine Jones, Jereem Richards, Luis Grijalva, Rushell Clayton, Nickisha Pryce, Elise Cranny, Nozomi Tanaka, Salwa Eid Naser, Daryll Neita, Mary Moraa, Agnes Ngetich, & Tsigie Gebreselama. These racers are selected by the Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee based on a combination of factors to include the fastest and best racers in each race group, with a focus on fierce rivalries and thrilling competitive racing. Grand Slam Track™ Racers commit to racing in all four Slams per year. They will receive an annual base compensation for racing in each Slam and are eligible for full prize money. These Grand Slam Track™ Racers will receive annual contracts, access to the Grand Slam Track™content and data services team, inclusion in the league collective, group licensing and new revenue opportunities, plus access to world class athlete support services throughout the season. Grand Slam Track™ Racers are compensated under contract to race and promote the league and receive additional marketing and branding support.

The remaining 48 competitors will be known as Grand Slam Track™ Challengers and will be paid a set appearance fee to compete at individual Slams. Grand Slam Track™ Challengers are chosen by the Grand Slam Track™ Racing Committee based on a combination of factors including recent performances, and the most intriguing athletes and matchups. 

Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the following categories, and will all race in two events during each Slam: short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000m/5000m). All competitors’ final placement score will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races. In the event of a tie across the two events, it will be the athlete who had the quickest combined time across the two races who will be deemed the winner. The winner of each Slam group will take home $100,000 in prize money, and the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000. Grand Slam Track™ will have a total of $12.6m of prize money that will be awarded across the slams each year in addition to the base compensation and appearance fees paid to racers. 

The focus of Grand Slam Track™ is on head to head competition, not winning times. There will be no rabbits or pacing lights. Each Slam is equally as important as any other, will have its own prize purse, and will be independently scored, with points and previous finishes not carrying over to the following Slams. All competitors will compete twice over the three-day event, and all Slam events will meet World Athletics regulations, with achieved marks being eligible for rankings and standards. 

Competitors will compete in their own sponsored kits, without traditional hip numbers or bibs. Racers and Challengers are encouraged to work with their sponsors to create customized kits, in their own desired style. Grand Slam Track™ has no affiliation or sponsorship agreement with any shoe company; all shoe companies are considered to be important stakeholders and partners in the promotion of our racers.

Grand Slam Track™ has secured more than $30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners for the launch of the league. Winners Alliance, a global, athlete-centric commercial solution and Johnson’s operating partner, was the lead investor in the first fundraising close for the new venture. The investment in the league will aid in Johnson’s ultimate goal: to develop better engagement with fans by promoting track and field’s biggest stars and reaching new audiences with unique, innovative storytelling.

For further information, please follow @GrandSlamTrack on all social media platforms, and visit grandslamtrack.com.

About Michael Johnson

Born in Dallas, Texas, Michael Johnson is a Hall of Fame track and field star, universally recognized as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight World Championships across his career, and held world and Olympic records in both the 200m and 400m races. At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Johnson became the first and only male athlete to win the Gold medal in both the 200m and 400m at the same Olympics. Since retiring from active competition, Johnson has become a serial entrepreneur and investor, as well as highly sought after performance mindset speaker and an award winning television commentator. Johnson has been a pundit for the BBC’s coverage of every Olympics Games since Athens 2004, and remains a key voice on, and advocate for the sport. Johnson was inducted into the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Ben Sosenko [email protected]

Callum Squires [email protected] On behalf of Grand Slam Track