The fledgling athletics league founded by Olympic legend Michael Johnson has filed for bankruptcy, leaving a trail of unpaid debts to star athletes, court documents have revealed. Scottish middle-distance runner Josh Kerr is among the top creditors, owed a substantial $218,750 by the failed Grand Slam Track (GST) venture.
Star Athletes Among Largest Creditors
Papers submitted to a bankruptcy court in Delaware this week list the twenty largest unsecured claims against GST. The roll call includes some of the biggest names in track and field. American hurdling superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone tops the list of athlete creditors, owed $356,250. She is followed by Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas, who is due $249,375, and world champion sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, owed $190,625.
In total, the seven athletics stars named on the list are collectively owed millions. The single largest creditor is a broadcast company, with a claim exceeding $3 million. The combined debt to the top twenty creditors is close to $10 million, with the total number of creditors estimated between 200 and 999 and total liabilities somewhere between $10 million and $50 million.
A League's Rapid Unravelling
Founded and launched by Michael Johnson in 2024, Grand Slam Track promised a new, lucrative circuit for the sport. Its first event was held in Kingston, Jamaica in April 2025. However, the venture was plagued by problems from the outset, with poor attendance leading a major financial backer to withdraw support immediately afterwards.
Subsequent meets in Miami and Philadelphia went ahead, with the Philadelphia event shortened from three days to two. The final event of the inaugural season, scheduled for Los Angeles in June, was ultimately cancelled. Johnson later admitted the league could not afford to pay its athletes, despite initially promising up to $12.6 million in prize money.
Chapter 11 and Hopes for a Future
Last week, GST filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a US court. This process allows a company to reorganise and attempt to stabilise its finances, rather than face immediate liquidation. In a statement, GST said it aimed to use the bankruptcy protection to "implement a more efficient cost and operating model, and position GST for long-term success."
For now, the future of the league remains deeply uncertain. The filing reveals the significant financial risk taken by the athletes who competed in its events, with stars like Josh Kerr left significantly out of pocket following the collapse of Michael Johnson's ambitious project.
