Grand Slam Track announced on Thursday the signing of reigning World 1,500m champion Josh Kerr.

A two-time World champion, the British middle-distance star is the second pick-up for Grand Slam Track in recent weeks following the inaugural signing of world-record 400 meter hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Grand Slam Track, a new vision from multiple-time Olympic gold champion Michael Johnson, is capitalizing on Kerr's recent success and status on the world stage. 

Kerr is coming off a victory at the Prefontaine Classic against Jacob Ingebrigtsen, where the Brit pushed the Norwegian over the final 600 meters of the Bowerman Mile to keep his undefeated streak going and log the world's top mile time this season in 3:45.34.

Kerr will compete for a spot on Great Britain's Olympic team over the next few days at the UK Athletics Championships. He's a near lock to make his second Olympic Team later this summer after winning a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

• Subscribe to FloTrack To Watch More Track & Field Meets All Year Long
• Grand Slam Track Aims To Revolutionize Sport
• 2024 US Olympic Trials Start Lists, Entries
• 2024 US Olympic Trials Schedule & Live Results

A former University of New Mexico star and NCAA champion, the 26-year-old Kerr has blossomed into one of the world's best middle-distance runners. He owns a 1,500m best of 3:29.05 and is considered an Olympic gold medalist contender at the distance. 

No salary terms were disclosed in the signing of Kerr. 

“I am excited to announce Josh Kerr as a GST Racer, and add such a talented competitor to our roster,” said Johnson, the league’s founder and commissioner. “Josh will show the world his incredible speed at the Olympics this summer, but we already know he is one of the fastest men on this planet. We want to have a diverse, international roster of talent for our four Slams, and having Josh on board is a hugely important announcement for our league.”

Hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland, Kerr has won two world titles over his career. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest he won the 1,500m in 3:29.38 after out-kicking Ingebrigtsen. 

In March of 2024, he added a 3,000m title at the World Indoor Championships. 

In February, Kerr also set the two-mile world record at the 2024 Millrose Games. He ran 8:00.67 to shatter Mo Farah's former mark of 8:03.40.

What Is Grand Slam Track?

Johnson, a four-time Olympic champion, has raised millions of dollars in funding for the track series that will feature 96 athletes competing in four Grand Slam events over the summer starting in 2025. 

Grand Slam has a reported prize pot of $12.6 million and the Category winners of Slam will win $100,000. 

A total of 96 athletes will compete in each Slam, with 48 signed athletes — split between men and women — competing against 48 challengers. Each signed racer, Johnson said, will receive a guaranteed base compensation for being part of the league. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone Already Signed On To Grand Slam Track

McLaughlin-Levrone, the world record-holder and Olympic champion in the 400 meter hurdles, was announced as Grand Slam's first signing in June 2024. 

The New Jersey native and Los Angeles resident is set to receive a guaranteed base compensation and will be the league's first signed “Racer.”

FloTrack Is The Streaming Home For Many Track And Field Meets Each Year

Don't miss all of the track & field action streaming on FloTrack. Check out the FloTrack schedule for more events.

FloTrack Archived Footage

Video footage from each event will be archived and stored in a video library for FloTrack subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

Join The Track & Field Conversation On Social

• Follow us on X (Twitter) @FloTrack
• Follow us on Instagram @flotrack
• Follow us on TikTok @flotracktv
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook