Johnson to make farewell tour

Johnson will bow out at the Goodwill Games in Australia

World 200m and 400m record holder Michael Johnson is to end his illustrious career this year with a relays-only farewell tour.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist will compete in relays at both distances in the United States and Europe before bowing out in September at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane.

He will kick off the tour with a 4x400m race at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia on Saturday.

"It looks like the next one will be towards the end of May somewhere in the Czech Republic," the 33-year-old sprint legend added.

"We're working with a lot of other meets. Zurich, Brussels, Berlin, probably Stockholm are the most likely. And there's a race in Poland."

14 major titles

Johnson has dominated both distances in recent years with his unique upright running style.

He broke the 200m world record in speeding to Olympic glory in 19.32 seconds at Atlanta in 1996, where he also became the first man to win gold at 200m and 400m in the same Games.

Three years later, he produced a sparkling 43.18, another new world best, as he won the World Championship 400m in Seville.

He added two more Olympic triumphs in Sydney last year with victories in the 400m and 4x400m relay, crowning a championship career of five Olympic and nine world championship gold medals.