Grand Slam Track finals cancelled, organizers to secure new investors and partnerships for 2026

Photo: Freepik
CALIFORNIA, USA: The final event of the Grand Slam Track (GST), an athletic event backed by Olympic Champion Michael Johnson, has been cancelled. The fourth and last meeting was initially scheduled from Jun 27 to 29 in Los Angeles.
It was reported that the cancellation was due to financial difficulties, and Johnson announced that the organizers will now shift their focus to planning and improving the athletic series for next year's season.
The GST founder and commissioner expressed: 'The global economic landscape has shifted dramatically in the past year, and this business decision has been made to ensure our long-term stability as the world's premier track league… Our attention is now on 2026.' GST's inaugural season this year
The first year of the Grand Slam Track started in Kingston, Jamaica (Apr 4 to 6), and was followed by events in Miami, Florida (May 2 to 4), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May 31 to Jun 1). Although the final meet at Drake Stadium will not take place, the organizers have admitted that the first three meetings were a success. Now, they are set to announce that new investors will help fund GST's second season.
Johnson's stated that they have ' successfully achieved the objectives we set out to in this pilot season.' Furthermore, he added: 'We launched with a bold vision to reimagine professional track racing, and we could not be more excited about what we have accomplished so far… As we've said all along, we were going to have learnings, make adjustments, and continue to improve.'
'Sometimes we have to make moves that aren't comfortable, but what's most important is the future and sustainability of the league.'
Some of the top athletes have signed multi-year contracts with the Grand Slam Track, and this secures their participation for future seasons. Moreover, the league plans to announce new investors and partners soon.
In a social media post made by Grand Slam Track, the league announced that all fans who purchased tickets for the Los Angeles meet will receive a refund. It was said in the caption: 'For those of you who had already purchased tickets for the LA Slam, thank you! You will be issued an automatic refund… We hope you'll join us next season ❤️.' See also Big holes in pockets for World Cup Qatar fans
Netizens have mixed reactions in the comments section. Some remarked: 'I was so soooo looking forward to this,' 'Soooo disappointed! Please revamp and come back to LA next year!' 'Shout out GST LA on making history for being the first Slam to get cancelled 🔥🔥,' and 'Are you going to refund my hotel and flights, too?'.

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