Thomas Barr: 'When it comes to sport, in particular athletics, money talks'

The Diamond League is set to be challenged by a new upstart: Grand Slam Track. Many A-list stars have followed the money and have signed up for the new initiative.

RAISING THE BARR: VMTV Athletics Ambassador Thomas Barr at the launch of Virgin Media Television's 2025 sports coverage. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

The professional athletics circuit will have a very different feel this year, with the Diamond League set to be challenged by a new upstart: Grand Slam Track.

The brainchild of US sprint legend Michael Johnson, the new format will feature four three-day meetings, staged between April and June, with prize money that dwarfs that of the Diamond League.