British Sprinter Zharnel Hughes Included in Grand Slam Track Line-up

Great Britain’s sprinter Zharnel Hughes, who ran the anchor leg for the men’s 4x100m team that won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has been confirmed to participate in the inaugural 2025 season of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track. This new athletics series, initiated by American sprint legend Johnson in June, boasts a prize fund totaling $12.6m (£9.9m). Its stated objective is to assemble the globe’s premier athletes. The competition will include 48 athletes under contract, alongside an additional 48 “challengers” who will be announced subsequently. Hughes holds the British men’s records for both the 100m and 200m events. The 29-year-old athlete also secured an individual bronze medal in the 100m event at the 2023 World Championships held in Budapest. Hughes was among the last five contracted athletes whose participation was announced on Thursday. American sprinter Brittany Brown, an Olympic bronze medalist in the women’s 200m, was also named. Previously, in November, sprinter Daryll Neita became the first British woman to join the league. This competition is structured around four events and is scheduled to commence in April 2025. For the 2025 season, three of the four meetings are slated to take place in the American cities of Los Angeles, Miami, and Philadelphia, with Kingston, Jamaica, hosting the remaining event. Hughes stated, “I’m driven by the desire to be the best, to inspire others, and to leave a lasting legacy.” He added, “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.”