Diamond League boss Stastny welcomes competition from Grand Slam Track

LOS ANGELES – Diamond League CEO Petr Stastny said that he welcomed the competition from other events such as Michael Johnson’s new Grand Slam Track series – but has issued a warning over looming 2025 calendar clashes that could hurt both athletes and organisers.

“Competition is good in many ways,” he said in a wide-ranging media roundtable on March 28.

“We do welcome these new projects in general. (But) we do not welcome date clashes, which unfortunately seem to be happening in 2025. The roster of athletes is fairly big, but it’s not unlimited, so big clashes are not in favour of the organisers nor the athletes.”

The Miami Grand Slam on May 2-4, for example, conflicts with the May 3 Diamond League in Shanghai. The Diamond League, entering its 16th season on April 26 in Xiamen, China, marks the first of 15 meetings spanning four continents.

As Stastny highlighted, the league benefits from its connection to the World Athletics Championships, with all 32 Diamond League winners earning wild-card entries to the championships scheduled from Sept 13 to 21 in Tokyo.

It also increased prize money for 2025 to more than US$9 million (S$12 million),almost a third higher than the previous four years, with athletes making a total of US$18 million, including promotional fees.

The Diamond League has faced criticism for not having enough prominent head-to-head competitions. However, this season will include a notable rematch: Keely Hodgkinson, Tsige Duguma and Mary Moraa will compete in the 800 meters at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 5, recreating their Paris Olympic podium lineup.

The men’s 100m event at the Shanghai Diamond League will feature a thrilling competition between three top athletes: Letsile Tebogo, the reigning Olympic 200m champion; Marcell Jacobs, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic 100m gold medallist; and Christian