Daryll Neita has become the first British woman to join Michael Johnson’s new athletics competition – and says the big-money series could help her in her quest to win a first individual global medal.
The 28-year-old will race in the 100 and 200 meters at the Grand Slam Track events in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles between April and June next year.
Neita – who has signed up for the breakaway league alongside Britain’s Josh Kerr and Matthew Hudson-Smith – could win as much as $400,000 (£316,00) if she tops the women’s short sprint category in all four events .
But she also sees the first GST series as perfect preparation for the World Championships in September, where she will try to improve on her respective fourth and fifth places in the 100 and 200 meters at the Paris Olympics.
“I really believe I can win individual medals,” Neita told Mail Sport. “So this is fantastic because it gives me a good feeling of competition early in the season, then I can get back to work and be ready for the World Championships.
“There’s probably no better way to prepare than competing at such a high level, competing with the best week in, week out.
Daryll Neita has become the first British woman to join Michael Johnson’s new athletics competition
Johnson (left) will launch his big-money track competition in Jamaica in April next year
“I’m excited about that back-to-back racing and proving how good I can be. It is a neck and neck race everywhere and that is positive. It’s nice to spice it up a bit.’
Neita is the second women’s sprinter to confirm her participation in GST, after American Melissa Jefferson, the Olympic bronze medalist in the 100 meters. Other stars, including Olympic 100m winner Julien Alfred, 100m world champion Sha’Carri Richardson and Olympic 200m gold medalist Gabby Thomas, have yet to sign up.
However, talks are ongoing with athletes and Neita hopes other Britons will take the plunge, including her relay teammate and individual rival, Dina Asher-Smith.
“It’s really great to be the first British lady to be announced and I hope more Brits will join in,” Neita said. “It’s such a great opportunity and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
“It feels great to be part of the first generation of what I believe will be a major evolution for athletics, at a time when women’s sprinting is so on fire.”
As a GST racer, Neita will receive a base fee to compete in all four races, with the winners of each category (determined by combining the results from both races) receiving prize money of $100,000 (£79,000) at each event. .
That’s more than the $70,000 offered for a gold medalist at the last World Championships in 2023, or the $50,000 that went to the winners of the Olympic Games.
“It’s quite fun, no one will shy away from that,” Neita said when asked about the prize pool. ‘It’s great to see this kind of investment coming into my sport.
Neita is hopeful that other British stars will take the plunge and join in, including Dina Asher-Smith
The sprinter admits it was ‘bittersweet’ to finish fourth in the 100m final at the Paris Olympics
Neita was part of Britain’s silver medal winning 4x100m team at the Olympic Games
“You heard about the days when athletes walked away with X amount of money, and you thought, ‘Wow, really? In athletics?” It feels like we’re getting a taste of what that must have been like. The incentive is great and it will really increase the sense of competition.’
Mail Sport reported last week that UK Athletics had turned down the chance to host one of the three-day GST meetings at the London Stadium because they were concerned they would not sell enough tickets and would lose money as a result. But Neita believes her hometown has missed a trick, as all four events are now held in North America.
“That’s definitely sad because the London Stadium is my favorite stadium of all time,” she admitted. “Every time I’m at the London Diamond League it seems like a sellout. So I really think the people of London and Great Britain would have loved that competition.
“Especially after such an incredible Olympic Games and the 2024 season, I think a lot more people would be involved and want to watch. But maybe it’s something that could happen in the future.”
Currently, Neita is back training in her adopted homeland of Padua, Northern Italy, as she confidently prepares for the 2025 season following her strong performance in Paris, which included a silver medal in the 4×100 meter relay.
“Paris was so iconic,” she added. “It was bittersweet to take fourth place in that 100 meters and be so close to the medal. But on reflection I made history as the first British athlete in 64 years to finish so high in the final, so I was really proud of myself.
“I just have to keep going and keep my eye on the prize, especially for LA. What matters is that I continue the same trajectory and keep believing, keep working hard and keep running fast.”