On Wednesday night, Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles sat down with ESPN for an exclusive one-on-one interview, reflecting on the Paris Olympics, his potential race with NFL receiver Tyreek Hill and the future of track and field in the U.S. When asked about his potential involvement in new track venture, Grand Slam Track (GST)—which has already signed Olympic sprint medallists Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek—Lyles said he was non-committal.
“Personally, I just need to see a TV provider,” Lyles said on the prospect of him joining GST. “The problem with our sport right now is that we have great performances, but nobody’s able to see them. So, until I hear about a TV sponsor [for GST], I don’t know that I can make a decision yet.”
Grand Slam Track was announced earlier this year by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson. The venture aims to create a new professional track league that brings together the world’s best sprinters and distance runners for four marquee meets in 2025. The league’s vision is to elevate the sport by offering a unique platform for top athletes to compete for a total prize pool of $12.6 million, similar to the structures seen in tennis and golf majors.
Each Grand Slam event will award $100,000 to the winner, with even last place taking home $10,000—prizes comparable to those of the Diamond League Final for the 2025 season.
“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 reiterated. Despite the skepticism, the 27-year-old expressed admiration for Johnson’s new-league efforts. “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.”
Johnson, meanwhile, has been open about his desire to have Lyles join GST. In an interview with TMZ Sports, Johnson said, “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 publicized the signing of seven other elite athletes, including American 100m sprinter Melissa Jefferson, 400m hurdles world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker, silver medallist Josh Kerr and bronze medallist Yared Nuguse. The league plans to recruit a total of 48 athletes.
