The four-time Olympic gold medalist Johnson informed before the start of the Paris 2024 event about the creation of a new circuit in 2025. Johnson's plan involves creating an annual professional route of four meetings, "very lucrative," but only featuring track races.

This project has been equally praised and criticized. One of the most vocal opponents is Valarie Allman. The 29-year-old American won her second consecutive Olympic gold in the discus discipline this week. 

Her path to the final, with a record of 69.50 meters, was marked by a fierce battle with China's Bin Feng (silver) and former Croatian champion Sandra Elkasevic (bronze). However, at the decisive moment, the American discus thrower separated herself from her competitors with an excellent throw that put her pursuers almost 2 meters ahead of them.

"These new circuits are really demotivating," Allman began in her complaint, highlighting disciplines like hers and focusing on the discrimination they suffer from projects like her compatriot Johnson's. In the young athlete's view, they have "untapped potential" to be more popular among the general public.

Moreover, Allman did not stop there. The Delaware athlete shared that recent demonstrations had highlighted throwing disciplines as “an integral part of athletics.” She also demanded they be adopted with more respect by organizers.

Without directly mentioning Johnson's Grand Slam Track series, Allman was more implicit and delicate. However, everyone understood it was a clear reference to her veteran colleague's new series. Johnson's project estimates four meetings starting in 2025 with a total prize of approximately $12 million (€11 million).

During its presentation, Johnson had to defend himself against these criticisms from the throwing and jumping sectors. The four-time champion decided to exclude field events from his plan because, according to him, “time constraints did not allow it.”

Thus, Allman's speech of vindication was born, launching her firm defense after winning gold, convinced that “there is untapped potential in her discipline,” as long as it is “marketed properly.”

"I think it will be interesting to see how they develop, as they are limited to the track part of the sport. I think in all events, particularly in throwing events, there is a lot of excitement. It's just about creating a story and leveraging it," explained Allman, somewhat disappointed with how her art is being overlooked.

It turns out that Johnson's new Grand Slam Track aims to commercialize and offer more frequent and attractive matchups between the "best of the best" in track events.

However, the young Allman did not agree with this idea. She argued that competitors in field events “routinely face each other every season,” trying to dismantle the theory of the legendary Johnson in his emerging project.

Allman's stance found many supporters. One of them was her rival, Elkasevic, who, stepping away from competition, joined her rival to fight for the honor of their discipline. The Croatian, an Olympic gold medalist in 2012 and 2016, commented: "There are 77,000 people in the stadium in the morning and afternoon watching athletics."

"The greatest excitement is in the field because there is a one-and-a-half to two-hour battle between the best discus throwers, the best triple jumpers, the best pole vaulters…," Elkasevic continued.

To conclude, the veteran from Zagreb took a slight jab at her track colleagues, declaring that "runners are only on the track for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, a minute… we are on stage for much longer.” A powerful message that she accompanied with a call for “respect” for all athletics disciplines for the sake of the sport.