The Grand Slam Track was announced to resolve the raging issue of the underpayment of the athletes. Promising some lucrative pay, Michael Johnson vowed to change the dynamics of the sport forever. Unfortunately, soon after the announcement of the opening venue, Johnson has been getting the heat from the track and field community. Recently, the US track legend mentioned that the very first edition of the GST will take place in Kingston, Jamaica.
But here’s where things get interesting. As far as the US track enthusiasts are concerned, Johnson choosing Jamaica despite being a US citizen angered them significantly. As a matter of fact, Johnson won four Olympic gold medals for the US. Keeping in mind the fierce rivalry between the US and Jamaicans, track fans expected America to get the honor of hosting the inaugural edition of Grand Slam Track.
Well, Michael Johnson has given his reasoning for choosing Jamaica over the US. The 4x Olympic gold medalist pointed out that Jamaica has a stronghold in the sport while carrying a rich heritage of track and field. Thus, Johnson thought that it would be the best location to kickstart the journey of the Grand Slam Track. While the backlashes didn’t stop, Johnson recently received significant support from a fellow American track legend.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Tidal League podcast, Justin Gatlin brushed on the topic of the GST opening in Jamaica. Surprisingly, contrary to the popular sentiment, Gatlin embraced the decision with an open arm. “When they announced Jamaica, I was like, “Oh, here we go, here we go.” Who cares about streaming? Who cares about TV, right? Boy, listen, it’s about to be live up in that stadium. I was like, “Good move, Mike. That’s a good move right there,” said the US track legend.
Gatlin also praised Johnson’s decision to pick Miami as his second location. He joked that the probable reason why Johnson chose the city was because he wanted to keep the Caribbean vibe intact. Gatlin said, “And then when he did Miami, I was like, “Good move,” because you’re still in the Caribbean vibe, right?” Well, Gatlin’s support might have been temporary relief for Johnson. Because the likes of Tara Davis-Woodhall, Hunter Woodhall, and Christian Coleman have launched a fresh set of verbal backlash.
The Woodhall couple voices their dissatisfaction over Michael Johnson’s comment on Grand Slam Track
Michael Johnson has aimed for the Grand Slam Track to be an event that would celebrate track athletes and intensify the competitive spirit among them. On one hand, he wants track athletes to be rewarded with what they truly deserve. However, on the other hand, Johnson has excluded field events from Grand Slam Track. In a recent interview with the BBC, the track legend threw light on his vision behind visualizing the Grand Slam Track. And one of his comments created a buzz in the athletic world. Johnson claimed, “Grand Slam Track is track, that is what we’re doing. I am going to save what I think I can save. I think I can save track, but I don’t think I can save track and field.” The fact that Johnson focused on track ignoring the field events did not sit well with Olympic long jump gold medalist Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Davis-Woodhall shared Johnson’s comment on her Instagram story and immediately uploaded her personal take on Johnson’s claims. Tara unapologetically stated, “My sport doesn’t need saving at all. Michael, you’re ruining the sport if you’re trying to ‘save’ just track”. She further highlighted that it’s referred to as ‘track and field’ for a reason, and the field events do have a huge impact on the sport’s growth. Taking a bold dig, Tara Davis-Woodhall added, “You’re long gone. Your time has passed. If you wanted to change the sport, you should have changed it a long time ago. Instead, you were skipping out of the sport.” Her husband too voiced his support for Tara and took a stand against Johnson’s comment.
Completely dismissing Johnson’s words, Hunter Woodhall commented, “Michael Johnson is such a self-important joke. Bro, we don’t need you to save anything.” While many spoke for the Woodhall couple, several netizens also shared different views on the debacle. Tara Davis-Woodhall also faced backlash from fans for not supporting Johnson’s Grand Slam Track. However, track phenom and US Olympian Christian Coleman took a stand for Tara as he commented “Loll” on Michael’s opinion centering on ‘saving track’. Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track is indeed shrouded with debates and controversies. However, it remains to be seen how GST ultimately turns out to be.
The post “Who Cares”: Ignoring USA vs. Jamaica Rivalry, Track and Field Legend Backs Michael Johnson Over Major Decision appeared first on EssentiallySports.