Aussie Jessica Hull pockets $40,000 as Michael Johnson's big-money league kicks off in Jamaica

Aussie Olympic medallist Jessica Hull pocketed $40,000 at the first stop of the inaugural Grand Slam Track season in the Jamaican capital on Sunday (AEST).

A day after finishing third in the 800 metres in Kingston in a personal best of 1:58.58, the Paris 2024 silver medallist took fourth in the 1500m in 4:05.48.

All told, she finished fourth overall in the women's "short distance" category to rake in US$25,000 (A$40,000), as the lucrative league masterminded by American sprinting legend Michael Johnson got under way.

READ MORE: Tszyu puts rival on notice with dominant comeback win

READ MORE: Tiny error duds Piastri as Verstappen takes shock pole

READ MORE: Bronco dealt heavy ban after rocking Tigers star

Ethiopian Diribe Welteji topped the category to haul in US$100,000 ($A163,000).

American Nikki Hiltz finished second to pick up US$50,000 (A$81,000), while Kenyan Susan Lokayo Ejore locked up third place to snare US$30,000 (A$49,000).

Aussie-born Frenchman Sasha Zhoya is on track to earn US$50,000 (A$81,000) as he's sitting second in the men's "short hurdles" category with one race remaining.

The Perth-born star finished second in the 110m hurdles in 13.34 seconds, running into a headwind of -0.5 metres per second, and will round out his grand slam with the 100m sprint on Monday (AEST).

Grand Slam Track is backed by a prize purse of US$12.6 million (about A$20 million), making it the most lucrative athletics league in history.

Even the athletes who rank eighth out of eight in their category are guaranteed to make US$10,000 (A$16,000).

Among the 48 stars contracted to Johnson's big-money league are four-time Olympic gold medallist Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and sprinter Fred Kerley, the 2022 world champion in the 100m.

Those 48 athletes earn annual salaries in addition to the prize money they are guaranteed to collect.

There are another 48 athletes categorised as "challengers", who don't have annual salaries but do earn appearance fees as well as prize money.

Hull is the only Aussie athlete contracted to Grand Slam Track in the league's inaugural season, but other Aussies could join her as "challengers" at any of the remaining three grand slams.

The Kingston grand slam will round out on Monday (AEST) before the league moves on to Miami, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

Speaking to Wide World of Sports ahead of the Kingston slam, Hull said the new league could prove a game-changer in athletics' fight for junior talent in Australia.

"It's a sport that is continuing to grow and innovate," Hull said.

"This is a sustainable pathway and there's a lot of opportunity that can come if you let the track do the talking."

Hull will contest both the 1500m and 5000m at the Australian athletics championships in Perth this week.