In any sport, there’s usually a clear line between the pros and everyone else. You don’t see a weekend golfer getting a shot at the Masters, a viral basketball player suiting up for the NBA Finals, or a pickup football star lining up in the Super Bowl. There’s a reason why professional athletes spend years training, competing, and proving themselves at the highest level. But when it comes to track and field, that line seems to disappear. Lately, there’s been a growing trend of celebrity influencers stepping onto the track to race against professionals, and Michael Johnson is not here for it.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist isn’t holding back. Michael Johnson sees this trend of influencers racing against professional athletes as straight-up disrespectful to the sport. And honestly? He’s got every reason to be frustrated. This isn’t just some harmless gimmick, but it’s happening more and more.
For instance, Tyreek Hill, an NFL wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, challenged 100m world champion Noah Lyles to a race. Then there’s iShowSpeed, the YouTuber and streamer, who has thrown out challenges to both Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson. Since when did being famous and kind of fast qualify someone to go head-to-head with world-class athletes?
You don’t see a TikToker randomly stepping onto an NFL field or a YouTuber grabbing a racket at Wimbledon. But in track? The rules don’t apply. If you have a big enough following and can run a decent sprint, you might just find yourself lining up against the best in the world. And Michael Johnson? He’s not amused. He sees this for what it is: a joke.
Recently, Canada’s Olympic Network shared his thoughts on Instagram, where Johson put it plainly: “Be honest, it starts to get a little bit disrespectful to these athletes to think that only in track and field. Doesn’t happen. Nobody expects that in any other way, but in track—oh yeah, we’ll just let anybody who says they’re fast just come in and, you know, get a chance to prove it. Can’t just go play in the NBA. Just because you’re a streetball legend doesn’t mean it works that way.”
But Michael Johnson isn’t completely shutting the door, he just wants influencers to earn their place like everyone else. “You want to prove it? Go compete in the NCAA’s, you know, and become an NCAA athlete, then work your way in,” he said. “That’s—that’s—that’s the process for every other sport.” For track and field, that typically means progressing through high school competitions, then moving on to the NCAA, where the best collegiate athletes prove themselves before going pro. No shortcuts, no special treatment. If you want to race the best, you have to be the best. But he has one more plan for celebrity influencers.
As the CEO of Grand Slam Track, which is set to debut April 4–6, he hinted at a different approach. “And now we’re grabbing some type—that is the process with the sport, but we will put those exhibitions in our program, right?” he said. Basically, influencers can race each other all they want, just don’t expect to line up against world-class sprinters.
“So yeah, you know, iShowSpeed—come on, bro. We got some other people who, you know, we got some other creators who think that they’re quick too. We can match you up against them. We’re all about that.” But Johnson’s real vision? Turning track into the next Formula One or UFC. Yes, you heard that right.
Michael Johnson’s Grand Plan for track and field
Michael Johnson is on a mission to turn track and field into the next Formula One or UFC, and Grand Slam Track is his big play to make it happen. Kicking off Friday in Kingston, Jamaica, this four-event series is all about star power, intense rivalries, and shaking up a sport that’s struggled to break through in North America. While track has a strong following in Europe, it often gets lost in the shuffle against the “Big Four” leagues in the U.S., and Johnson?
He’s not here for the usual excuses. He believes athletes have done their job—it’s the sport itself that needs a better structure, better marketing, and a format that actually gets people excited. That’s where Grand Slam Track comes in. It’s built for head-to-head showdowns, with big names like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Josh Kerr leading the charge. But if you’re wondering where stars like Noah Lyles and Jakob Ingebrigtsen are, they’re sitting this one out—at least for now.
Unlike traditional meets, there are no field events, just pure racing and storytelling. Johnson has already locked in a U.S. broadcast deal with CW Network and Peacock, plus coverage in 189 countries. And if this first season delivers? He’s taking Grand Slam global, setting it up as a direct challenger to the long-dominant Diamond League. Bottom line—Michael Johnson wants to make track a must-watch, all-year sport, not just something people tune into every four years like the Olympics.
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