U.S. Olympian Elise Cranny and Japanese record holder Nozomi Tanaka have signed on as Racers with Grand Slam Track ahead of the professional track league’s inaugural season in 2025.

Here’s What You Need To Know:

– Cranny and Tanaka complete Grand Slam Track’s “long distance” Racer group that already included Ethiopia’s Tsigie Gebreselama and Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich. They will contest the 3000m and 5000m at each of the four Slams in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

– Each athlete will receive points for their finishing position in the two races. After the two events, the athlete with the highest point total will win the Slam and the $100,000 prize for first place.

– Cranny, who is a five-time U.S. champion, coming off a year in which she made significant changes in her training set-up. She departed the Bowerman Track Club and then briefly trained under coach Joe Bosshard and Team Boss in Boulder, Colo. before deciding to be coached remotely by Jarred Cornfield (the soon-to-be head coach of Northern Arizona University). She battled Elle St. Pierre to the finish line and finished second in the 5000m final by 0.02 seconds. She qualified for her second U.S. Olympic team and finished 11th in the 5000m final in Paris.

– Cranny’s season was also highlighted by a 3:57.87 personal best to take sixth in the 1500m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials and a U.S. outdoor 3000m record of 8:25.10 when she finished fourth at the Lausanne Diamond League in August.

– Tanaka is the first Japanese athlete to sign with the league. She has been known to travel frequently and all around the world for races and training. Between her cross country, indoor and outdoor racing, she competed 27 times in 2024 from February through September.

– In 2024, she ran season’s bests of 2:04.36 for 800m; 3:59.69 for 1500m; 8:34.09 for 3000m; 9:16.76 (Japanese record) for two miles and 14:31.88 for 5000m. Her personal bests of 2:37.33 for 1000m; 3:59.19 for 1500m; 8:34.09 for 3000m and 14:29.18 for 5000m are all outdoor national records for Japan.

What They Had To Say:

Nozomi Tanaka: “I am delighted to be part of Grand Slam Track and represent my country of Japan on the global stage. The level of competition is incredible, and I can already feel how much it’s going to challenge me. The lineup of other Racers is fantastic and I know I’m ready to give my best to be victorious. I can’t wait to showcase my speed in Grand Slam Track and look forward to seeing the fans at all of the Slams in 2025.”

Elise Cranny: “I’m honestly so excited to be part of Grand Slam Track. It’s an incredible feeling to know I’m part of this extremely elite group of athletes who’ve set records and reached the top of their sport. But honestly, it’s more than just about the competition—it’s about what I can learn and how I can level up as an athlete. Every race is an opportunity to understand myself better, to see where I’m strong and where I can improve. I can’t wait to get racing.”

Overall Thoughts On This Group Of Racers:

Yes, the dream team for this group would have consisted of some mix of 1500m Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon, 5000m Olympic champion Beatrice Chebet, 10,000m World champion Gudaf Tsegay and 5000m Olympic bronze/10,000m Olympic bronze and marathon Olympic gold medalist Sifan Hassan. None of them are signed to the league for all four Slams but could still make appearances on a Slam-by-Slam basis as Racers.

Having all four Slams in North America may have played a factor. Cranny and Gebreselama are U.S.-based. Ngetich is willing to make the trip and Tanaka is racking up frequent flier miles everywhere.

When it comes to racing, it’s an interesting crop of athletes. Sub-4:00 1500m runners meeting in the middle with sub-66 minute half marathoners. Tanaka won’t be shy to lead from the front. Gebreselama and Ngetich can make it quick with their PRs and half marathon strength. Cranny may have the best range of the bunch.

Who Else Has Signed With Grand Slam Track So Far:

– Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (June 18th)

– Josh Kerr (June 27th)

– Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse (Sept. 4th)

– Fred Kerley and Kenny Bednarek (Sept. 12th)

– Melissa Jefferson (Sept. 19th)

– Masai Russell, Cyrena Samba Mayela and Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Sept. 25th)

– Alison Dos Santos and Clément Ducos (Sept. 26th)

– Muzala Samukonga (Sept. 26th)

– Quincy Hall and Matthew Hudson-Smith (Oct. 10th)

– Nikki Hiltz (Oct. 15th)

– Grant Fisher and Ronald Kwemoi (Oct. 15th)

– Roshawn Clarke and Ackera Nugent (Oct. 17th)

– Luis Grijalva (Oct. 22nd)

– Shamier Little, Jasmine Jones and Rushell Clayton (Oct. 22nd)

– Jessica Hull (Oct. 22nd)

– Devon Allen and Daniel Roberts (Oct. 22nd)

– Marileidy Paulino (Oct. 22nd)

– Jereem Richards (Oct. 22nd)

– Marco Arop (Oct. 22nd)

– Tsigie Gebreselama and Agnes Ngetich (Oct. 22nd)

– Daryll Neita (Nov. 21st)

– Mary Moraa (Nov. 21st)

– Salwa Eid Naser (Nov. 21st)

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