A few months ago, Michael Johnson proudly claimed that the Grand Slam Track would be a revolution that would change the track world. But since then the track legend has made the headlines more for his controversial tweets and getting into spats with Noah Lyles than actual progress of the GST. But just when we thought that the issues with Lyles had been sorted, we were greeted by a new tweet. This one, however, might have riled the fans a bit too much. Why? Perhaps because Johnson might have overestimated himself a little too much. Let’s see.
Taking to Twitter on March 13, 2025, the track and field legend tweeted his list of American track & field athletes who have transcended the sport to greater lasting stardom, which he believes to be only very few. He said, “Only a handful of American track & field athletes have transcended the sport to greater lasting stardom. Jesse Owens, Edwin Moses, Bruce (Caitlyn) Jenner, Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, FloJo, and me.” Now stay with us, but naming yourself a legend is never a great move.
The list has some pretty great names—actually, all great names. Owens’ four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics were a statement against Adolf Hitler’s racial ideology. Carl Lewis with his freaking nine Olympic medals, FloJo, the sprinter who was also a pop culture icon. The Olympian also believed that there was something similar among all these names, but he didn’t answer it himself; instead, he asked us.
The tweet further read, “What do we all have in common? And who will be next?” He is asking not only for the similarity but also for the next track and field athlete who poses the same traits as these legends. The likes of Noah Lyles and Sha’carri Richardson are some of the strongest contenders, but missing them out on the list has been a topic of debate among the fans, especially after Lyles and Johnson’s history.
Only a handful of American track & field athletes have transcended the sport to greater lasting stardom. Jesse Owens, Edwin Moses, Bruce (Caitlyn) Jenner , Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, FloJo, and me. What do we all have in common? And who will be next?
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) March 13, 2025
What has also been controversial in the tweet is the “me” part of the tweet. The eight-time world champion, including himself in the list of American track & field athletes who have transcended the sport to greater lasting stardom, didn’t sit right with some fans.
Fans React to Michael Johnson’s List
Many of the fans are rooting for Noah Lyles in the list, like this one saying, I think you would be better placed to say MJ? and Noah (has the personality ), Sydney (dominating her event), Tebogo (potential).” Tebogo is from Botswana, though. A fan had his list in the comments, keeping Michael out of it, citing, “Most Americans would only recognize the names of Owens, Jenner, and Lewis.”
That’s quite something. Michael’s position in the list was once again questioned by others. This guy went so far as to say that not only him but even his colleagues wouldn’t even recognize him. He said, “Sorry, bro, but I’m pretty sure I could poll my entire office and would be shocked if 1 knew who you were. Excited for GST, though!” Well, at least he has apologized and is excited for the Grand Slam Track.
This wasn’t the last time, though. One other tweet questioned the position of the 4-time Olympian, saying, “Michael, a true star would not have included himself on a list like this—even though you might be included as one of them. People who know would just know and think more highly of your post.” But some of them were generous as well, answering the actual question of the tweet.
One fan went into the details of why these athletes made it to the top, citing “Olympic Champions and World Records. I’d argue that Owen, Lewis, and Jenner actually transcended the sport. Jenner, mainly because of his family. Owen’s due to race and international tensions of the time. Lewis due to his shift into politics/acting and you can’t say for sure.”
One other fan brought in Michael Johnson’s opponent, Maurice Greene, into the conversation. He said, “You could put Maurice Greene in there. He was the 100m world record holder for a hot second. 2x Olympic gold, 5x gold World Champion. And let us not forget the 200m race between you and Greene!” People might disagree with Michael’s list, but the demand for Noah is a bit unjustified as the athlete still has a lot to prove, and he’s mostly in the news not because of his performances but because of his comments.
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