Grand Slam Track arranges L.A. finals

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The new four-meet Grand Slam Track circuit will culminate in Los Angeles on 27 to 29 June next year, organizers of the athletics series founded by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson announced on Friday.

The upstart series will open in Kingston, Jamaica, on 4 to 6 April before a second meet in Miami on 2 to 4 May.

It will then move to Philadelphia on 30 May to 1 June before ending at University of California-Los Angeles’ Drake Stadium in Los Angeles where the overall series champions will be crowned.

“We’re eager to bring the event to this iconic city and can’t wait to give fans an unforgettable experience. It’s a new era for the sport, and we’re delighted to be leading the way,” Johnson said in a statement.

The Guardian newspaper reported this week that UK Athletics turned down the chance to host one of the four meets in either London or Birmingham because of the British federation’s difficult financial situation.

The series offers total prize money of $12.6 million and will include 48 athletes, headed by two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who will compete in all four meets.