3 months ago
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WHILE GRAND Slam Track (GST) caught several headlines for its never-before-seen prize pool, GST founder Michael Johnson said the competition has also been supporting the development of track and field through their charitable donations.
The GST series recently wrapped up its second of four meets this year at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miami, Florida, on Sunday.
Johnson has been outspoken about the reasons behind creating the innovative track league, saying he wanted to provide a platform to compensate athletes and boost the development of the sport.
Another facet of GST’s development goals is through donating the various track equipment used at each Slam to the individual meet venues.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Johnson said GST has donated over US$50,000 worth of equipment at each slam location — the National Stadium in Kingston, and now the Ansin Sports Complex in Miami.
He explained the purpose behind each donation is to ensure young athletes are able to train and compete with the best resources available.
“We’ve left over $50,000 of brand new track equipment for youth athletes in each slam location. Kingston, Jamaica, and now Ansin Sports Complex, Miramar,” he said.
Johnson’s statement was in reference to comments made by GST’s President Steve Gera, who had announced their donation to the Ansin Sports Complex on Sunday.
“From talking to the community, and all the parents, and the children, and the coaches, I saw how much track means to Miramar and how much it means to this region,” Gera said.
“One of the things that we wanted to do because of that, was all the equipment we used here at Grand Slam Track, from our hurdles, to the blocks and everything, we’re donating that to the city of Miramar and Ansin Sports Complex and all the kids who are going to get fast on this track.”
The series will continue with its third staging at Franklin Field in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania.
Franklin Field is the oldest operational college football field in the United States and is also home to the Penn Relays.
The Philadelphia Grand Slam will run from May 30 through to June 1.
English (US) ·