Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (SML) and Athing Mu’s coach, Bob Kersee, demanded that corporations, coaches and athletes support Grand Slam Track after the cancellation of the fourth meet of the novel series.
Grand Slam Track against the Diamond League
Grand Slam Track in LA was scheduled up against two well-established Diamond League meets in Oslo on June 13 and Stockholm on June 15. LA was scheduled for June 12. It would have been impossible for any athletes competing in Europe to be able to also compete in LA. Choices had to be made.
Also, the Rome and Paris Diamond League meets were scheduled for June 6 and June 20. Despite the economy and political situation in the US and riots in LA (that may have been referenced), having five meetings take place in 15 days on opposite sides of the planet is not collaborative.
Perhaps Kersee should have focused on the schedule and not corporations — the issue was avoidable without blaming businesses, athletes and coaches.
SML, the 400m hurdles world record holder and Olympic gold medallist, raced at the debut event in Kingston, Jamaica. She also raced in Philadelphia and Miami. Her presence graces some of the marketing and media for the series.
The fourth series meeting was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, but was cancelled.
Tough choices
In a press release, organizer Michael Johnson pointed out that it was a tough choice to make.
“As we’ve said all along, we were going to have learnings, adjust, 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,” he said.
“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.”
Bob Kersee shared a post on Instagram, noting that the cancellation of the LA event continues to demonstrate the struggles that athletics face.
“Our athletes are world-class. They train hard and deserve better. The Grand Slam brand is still very promising, but today, seasons and careers are impacted,” said Kersee.
“I’m calling on athletes (past or present), coaches, athletic brands, and corporate partners to step up! We need leaders who will commit to sustainable investment in our sport. Our world-class athletes deserve a world-class organization and commitment to match.”
Statement from the GST website
“The decision to conclude the inaugural Grand Slam Track™ season is not taken lightly, but one rooted in a belief that we have successfully achieved the objectives we set out to in this pilot season, and the importance of looking towards 2026 and beyond,” said Michael Johnson, Founder and Commissioner of Grand Slam Track™. “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, delivering amazing races to a rabid fan base. 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.”
“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, with our eyes set on continuing to deliver the best-in-class storytelling, content, and competition that we have become known for in our debut year,” continued Johnson. “We are in conversations with potential host cities – many of whom have already thrown their names in the hat – to build out an exciting calendar of events for our fans across the globe. We are committed to calling Los Angeles home, and look forward to hosting a Slam in LA as part of the 2026 season.”
Prize money
Grand Slam Track offers prize money to the top eight finishers of each slam. The winners earn $100,000, while those who finish second, third and fourth will take home $50,000, $30,000 and $25,000, respectively.
Finishing fifth, sixth and seventh pays $20,000, $15,000 and $12,500, respectively. Eighth-place finishers earn $10,000.
Perhaps Kersee counted SML’s 100,000 chickens before they hatched.
