Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson has expressed her lack of curiosity in signing with Grand Slam Observe (GST), the brand new, profitable rival to the Diamond League, in response to The Commonplace. The British athlete plans to deal with operating quick instances and successful medals in 2025, selecting to forgo the possibility to compete for the large US$400,000 prize purse awarded for successful all 4 GST conferences.
Hodgkinson nonetheless hopes to take part within the circuit as one of many 4 Challengers invited to compete. (Signed athletes are known as Racers). Michael Johnson, the creator of GST, plans to pick these athletes based mostly on their velocity and recognition, whereas aiming to gasoline present rivalries. Challengers have one shot on the US$100,000 prize supplied at every Slam, whereas Racers, who’re already assured base compensation upon signing, compete for the beneficiant purse 4 instances.
“I believe it’s nice what [Johnson’s] doing, I simply don’t really feel prefer it’s for me subsequent yr,” Hodgkinson mentioned. “I assume we’ll see the place the league goes after that. However I sit up for hopefully doing one.”
Hodgkinson could be slated to race in opposition to her frequent rival, 2023 world champion and 600m world file holder Mary Moraa. She would additionally face Olympic 1,500m silver medallist Jessica Hull and American mile file holder Nikki Hiltz, who spherical out the short-distance occasion roster.
Required to (virtually) double her distance
The league requires every athlete to take part in two occasions at every Slam; falling into the quick distance class, Hodgkinson would race the 800m and 1,500m. Whereas the Brit is much less acquainted with the latter, she would wish to race the three-and-three-quarter-lap occasion 4 instances throughout GST’s inaugural season.
An obligation to race eight instances over 4 weekends and splitting her focus between two occasions doesn’t line up with Hodgkinson’s acknowledged 2025 season targets. Though she known as her season early attributable to an harm after successful gold in Paris, Hodgkinson already has her eyes on beating her private greatest and incomes extra gold {hardware} from subsequent yr’s indoor European championships, and indoor and out of doors world championships.
“It takes a particular race”
“I do suppose the 1:53 is feasible,” Hodgkinson, who holds a private better of 1:54.61, instructed The Commonplace. “I believe we’re so near getting down there, however clearly it takes a particular race. You’ve acquired to be in excellent form, excellent situations, the fitting race for all that to come back collectively. I’ll undoubtedly put myself in one of the best place to take action.”
Noah Lyles says he received’t signal with Grand Slam Observe with out TV deal
Different main names lacking from the GST roster embody Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson. Presently, 43 of 48 athletes have signed with the league as Racers.
