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Noah Lyles reveals his conditions for potentially joining Michael Johnson's new Grand Slam Track league, emphasizing key factors.
Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles has made it clear that he will not be joining Michael Johnson's newly announced Grand Slam Track (GST) league without a few conditions in place.
Lyles, known for his dazzling speed and outspoken personality, spoke candidly in an exclusive interview with ESPN shedding light on the factors that will influence his decision.
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While GST has already signed Olympic sprint medallists Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek, Lyles remains non-committal.
"Personally, I just need to see a TV provider," said the 27-year-old sprinter, who is eyeing another Olympic title in Paris next summer.
"The problem with our sport right now is that we have great performances, but nobody’s able to see them."
Lyles’s remarks point to a broader challenge facing the sport of track and field: visibility.
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While track and field boasts some of the most electrifying athletes and performances in the world its reach is often limited by inadequate media coverage, especially in the U.S.
This issue seems to weigh heavily on Lyles’s mind as he considers his involvement in the ambitious GST venture.
"We could have the greatest performances at the Grand Slam Track, but, you know, if a tree falls in the middle of the woods and nobody’s there to see it, did it really fall?" Lyles remarked, driving home his point.
The Grand Slam Track league, announced by four-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Johnson earlier this year, aims to shake up the landscape of professional track.
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The venture is set to bring together the world’s top sprinters and distance runners for four high-profile meets starting in 2025.
Modeled after the structures seen in tennis and golf majors GST will feature a total prize pool of $12.6 million.
Each meet winner will earn $100,000, with even the last-place finisher walking away with $10,000—prize amounts that are comparable to the Diamond League Final’s rewards for the 2025 season.
Despite his concerns, Lyles expressed admiration for Johnson’s efforts to elevate the sport.
“What Johnson is doing for the sport is great, and I know how hard it is to create a league and go against the grain,” he said.
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15:50 - 19.09.2024
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Lyles, who has become one of the biggest names in track and field thanks to his dominance in the 100m and 200m events, clearly understands the potential for GST to change the sport, but for him, visibility remains paramount.
Johnson, for his part, is hopeful that Lyles will come on board. In an earlier interview with TMZ Sports, Johnson spoke highly of the Olympic champion, saying, "Noah’s certainly one of those guys. I mean, Noah is the fastest… Those sorts of athletes are the people we want to be part of this league."
GST has already attracted some of the world’s top track stars, including 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker, and middle-distance stars Josh Kerr and Yared Nuguse.
In total GST plans to recruit 48 elite athletes for its inaugural season, ensuring that the competition will be fierce and filled with talent from across the globe.
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