Search
shop

Michael Johnson lauds ‘ultimate endurance athletes’ ahead of US Open

Olympic legend Michael Johnson will be a special guest at the first ever PTO US Open
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Four-time Olympic Gold medal winning sprinter Michael Johnson will be a special guest at the first ever PTO Triathlon US Open, which takes place in his hometown of Dallas this week.

Johnson will be involved in the build-up and commentary of the men and women’s professional races, including Friday’s press conference.

‘The ultimate endurance athletes’

“I’m excited about getting involved in the new PTO Tour’s first race here in the US and I’m delighted they’ve chosen Dallas,” Johnson said. “I’ve always been fascinated by the limits of human performance, whatever the distances involved, and triathlon does intrigue me.” 

Johnson’s first medal came at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, winning the 4x400m relay with his US teammates. He went on to win the 200m and 400m individual events at Atlanta ‘96, before defending his 400m title at Sydney in 2000. 

Michael Johnson in action picture courtesy of PTO
[Picture courtesy of PTO]

“I remember when it [triathlon] entered the Olympic arena at Sydney 2000,” Johnson said. “It certainly wasn’t the sport for me. I could never go for that long, but I remember thinking that these guys must be the ultimate endurance athletes – to not just take on one discipline, but combine three to such a high level and over significant distances.” 

Athlete-owned appreciation 

Johnson said he was fascinated by the Professional Triathletes Organisation’s (PTO) athlete-owned model. 

“I really like how the PTO is setting itself up, as an athlete-owned body, committed to promoting the longer distances of the sport and in a different way,” Johnson explained.

“The superhuman efforts of these triathletes haven’t always enjoyed the spotlight they deserve, so the PTO was set up by the athletes to change that, make the sport more professional and try to take it to the next level in terms of story-telling, prize money and global broadcast.” 

Patrick Ryan
Written by
Patrick Ryan
Patrick is a major contributor to TRI247 and RUN247. A keen hiker and wide experience in sports journalism, he has covered Olympics, Commonwealth Games.
Discover more
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
Ruth Astle finishing IRONMAN Vitoria 2024
PremiumHow to cope with a DNF: Elite athletes share their stories
PremiumIs your evening workout routine wrecking your recovery? Expert physiologist on how to improve recovery and what NOT to do
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumTriathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
03/07/2025 - Tour de France 2025 - Grand départ Jour 2 - Lille - Présentation des équipes -Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike)
PremiumWhat triathletes can learn from the Tour de France pro peloton
latest News
Alex Yee wins Super tri Toronto 2025
Supertri Toronto 2025 men’s results: Stunning triathlon return from Olympic champ Alex Yee
Jolien Vermeylen wins Supertri Toronto 2025
Supertri Toronto 2025 women’s results: Jolien Vermeylen stuns big guns for famous DEBUT win
Alex Yee supertri Neom 2024 win Photo credit: Darren Wheeler | supertri
WATCH AGAIN: Supertri Toronto 2025 as Brownlee Racing make a PERFECT start
Sam Long wins IRONMAN 703 Gulf Coast 2023 [Photo credit: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images for IRONMAN]
Sam Long opens up on US triathlon stars struggling in Europe after big move brought ‘complete mental breakdown’
lionel sanders wins oceanside 2024 [Photo credit: Donald Miralle / IRONMAN]
Lionel Sanders pinpoints the BIGGEST difference from Mark Allen era of triathlon
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...