GRAND SLAM TRACK™ Announces Signings of Agnes Ngetich & Tsigie Gebreselama

10km Road World Record holder and 2023 World Cross Country silver medalist are both signed to compete in all four Slams of league's inaugural season.

New York, NY (November 1, 2024) - Grand Slam Track™, the new global home of professional track competition, launched earlier this year by four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, announced today the signings of renowned long distance runners Agnes Ngetich and Tsigie Gebreselama. From Kenya and Ethiopia respectively, both are accomplished Racers who will now compete in all four Slam events of the league's inaugural season in 2025. These signings further exemplify Grand Slam Track™’s commitment to building a world-class roster of talents from across the world who are set to electrify fans next year.

“Agnes and Tsigie embody the spirit of Grand Slam Track™,” said Michael Johnson, the league's founder and Commissioner. “Their dedication, talent, and competitive drive make them ideal additions to our roster of Racers. We are confident they will inspire fans and help to elevate our sport to the levels it deserves. Their addition solidifies our position as the new global home of track racing, and we can’t wait to see them entertain millions of fans around the world in 2025.”

The Kenyan long-distance sensation Ngetich has taken the running world by storm. She won the Bronze medal in the 2023 World Cross Country Championship, before in January 2024, she shattered the women's 10km road world record by an astounding 28 seconds, clocking an incredible 28:46. In the same race, Agnes also set a new world record of 14:13 for the 5km en route to the finish of the 10km, further cementing her status as a force to be reckoned with. Ngetich's recent triumph at the 2024 Valencia Half Marathon, where she secured the second-fastest time in history with her 1:03:04, showcases her exceptional talent, range, and unwavering determination to push herself to the limit.

“Joining Grand Slam Track™ has ignited even more fire within me,” said Ngetich. “The competition is fierce, the atmosphere will be electric, and the possibilities are endless. I always dreamed of competing at the highest level, and joining Grand Slam Track™ is the next step in that dream. Especially as I can do this on track now and in a way that I can plan my season properly. I'm excited to race against the fastest women in the world and inspire the next generation to dream big.” 

Hailing from Ethiopia, Tsigie Gebreselama boasts an impressive resume across a wide variety of surfaces - on the  track, on the road, and in cross country.. A silver medalist at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships, she has consistently proven her mettle on the global stage. Gebreselama's victory in the 5000m at the 2024 Prefontaine Classic, where she clocked a personal best of 14:18.76, solidified her position among the world's elite.

“I thrive on competition and Grand Slam Track™ is a series of races for athletes to push their limits," said Gebreselama. “It's an incredible opportunity to challenge myself against the best in the world and perform in front of passionate fans. I can't wait to feel the energy of the crowd and be part of a show they'll never forget.”

Each year, 48 athletes will be named to the league as Grand Slam Track™ Racers. Today’s duo of announced Racers takes the tally of signees to 32, along with already announced stars from across the world of track like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Melissa Jefferson, Masai Russell, 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, Clement Ducos, Marileidy Paulino, Jess Hull, Daniel Roberts, Shamier Little, Marco Arop, Devon Allen, Jasmine Jones, Jereem Richards, Luis Grijalva, and Rushell Clayton. 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 racers 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 racers 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. 

Racers 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.

Ticket sales information will be released in due course. 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