What to Expect in 2025 for Track and Field
Credits: ABC News
After the Paris Olympics, a lot of people within the Track and Field community have been asking what next. Well to start, the famous Wanda Diamond League increased its prize pool after the Paris Olympics and will increase it by over $9 million. This will be the highest prize pool in the history of elite track and field runners. How will this affect the athletes competing in 2025?
For some context on track and field, athletes can choose what events they want to participate in and what meets they want to compete in. They can compete in events for Nike, Adidas, New Balance, etc. Track athletes can choose to compete in the Diamond League or not, and then it goes into the World Championships where countries go and compete to win Gold, Silver, or Bronze for their event.
Credits: Khel Now
According to the Wanda Diamond League, “Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with total athletes will be paid at the same rate, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees.” This means that athletes will be paid as they compete during the duration of the league and will get paid when their event is over. As of now, we do not know what the prize money rewards will be for placement events. However, this will be revolutionary for pro track athletes as the Diamond League helps pro track and field athletes prepare for the world championships such as the one hosted in Tokyo Japan in 2025.
Now the main question is, where is the Diamond League going to be held? The 2025 Wanda Diamond League will be held in Shanghai, China, and will kick off May 3rd, 2025 with the increased prize pool of $9 million being held there for the pro track athletes to compete for it. The Diamond League said, “The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic affected in 2021-2024.” The future of pro sports in the Track and Field community won’t end here! Earlier this year retired American track and field sprinter Michael Johnson announced that he is making his own Track and Field league known as “Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track League” with more information releasing as time goes by regarding the prize pool.
According to ESPN, “Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each four ‘slams’ when the league starts.” The Grand Slam League is expected to start in 2025 with Michael Johnson already signing Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who was Team USA’s track and field captain for the Paris Olympics and World Record 400m Hurdler Olympic Gold Medalist.
The future of Track and Field in 2025 looks promising with the Diamond League and the Grand Slam League. With the World Championships on its way in 2025, the world is looking forward to the Diamond League, World Championships, and the Introduction of the Grand Slam League.
Credits: The New York Times for the image of the Hayward Field