Grand Slam Track Files U.S. Bankruptcy

Last Updated: 11/12/25 8:49pm

Grand Slam Track (GST), the professional athletics series founded by Olympic champion Michael Johnson, has filed for bankruptcy in the United States after months of cash-flow problems and weak ticket sales.

Launched in 2024, GST staged events this year in Kingston, Jamaica, and in Miami and Philadelphia in the U.S. A fourth event planned for Los Angeles in June was cancelled as the series ran out of funds and could not meet obligations to athletes and vendors.

Johnson, 58, said the league was created to provide a professional platform for track athletes and acknowledged the frustration caused by recent developments. "Grand Slam Track was founded to create a professional platform that reflects the talent and dedication of this sport's athletes. While GST has faced significant challenges that have caused frustrations for many - myself included - I refuse to give up on the mission of Grand Slam Track and the future we are building together," he said.

In its public bankruptcy filing, GST lists up to $50,000 in assets and liabilities between $10,000,001 and $50,000,000, with 200 to 999 creditors. The petition was signed by GST president Michael Johnson, chief operating officer Steve Gera, and attorney J. Rudy Freeman.

In August the organisation announced competition would not resume until athletes had been paid and effectively put the 2026 season on hold. Johnson said the league had promised prompt, fair compensation but was unable to fulfil that commitment after key funding failed to materialise. He said GST had worked with investors and its board to find a solution and initially received encouraging signals, but worsening circumstances forced an early end to the season to limit further losses and begin stabilising the company.