Boost For Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Co as Grand Slam Track Handed 8-Figure Financial Lifeline

Michael Johnson's startup project Grand Slam Track have been handed some financial lifeline which will see them pay off a potion of their debts owed to vendors and participating athletes, such as Emmanuel Wanyonyi and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden.

Grand Slam Track, the ambitious but embattled track and field startup, has narrowly avoided collapse after securing an eight-figure emergency funding package from existing investors. 

The cash injection allowed the league to make long-awaited partial payments to athletes on Friday, signaling a fragile but significant step toward stabilizing its operations.

The startup—founded by Olympic legend Michael Johnson and launched with great fanfare in 2023—had been staring at a debt pile of nearly $19 million. Roughly $11 million was owed to athletes in prize money and appearance fees, with another $8 million due to vendors ranging from event producers to host cities.

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On Friday morning, athletes confirmed they received half of their outstanding payments. “It’s a huge step forward and credit to GST in fulfilling their promise,” said veteran agent Ray Flynn, who represents Grand Slam stars Josh Kerr and Cole Hocker.

Among the athletes directly affected are some of track and field’s brightest names. U.S. sprint queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone competed at the Philadelphia Slam, while rising American star Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenyan middle-distance sensation Emmanuel Wanyonyi were also part of the athlete roster. 

The league had promised record purses—$100,000 for a first-place finish—alongside unprecedented perks like covered airfare and private hotel rooms.

New Windfall to Be Paid off to Athletes

The new funding, led by existing backers under the Winners Alliance umbrella, is expected to total between $5 million and $10 million. Sources told Front Office Sports that $5.5 million will go directly to athletes, with the balance earmarked for vendor negotiations and employee salaries. Fewer than 10 Grand Slam staff remain after sweeping layoffs earlier this summer.

Grand Slam had been under mounting pressure after canceling its final meet of the season in Los Angeles and reducing its Philadelphia program in June. 

The organization admitted in August that it lacked the funds to pay athletes, and revelations later emerged that a major investor—identified by The Athletic as Todd Boehly’s Eldridge—had walked away from a previously signed term sheet.

Despite the turbulence, Johnson and his partners insist Grand Slam is not finished. In an email sent to athletes Friday, the league described the payments as “the beginning of Grand Slam Track’s reboot,” pledging to “make things right with everyone” over the next 60 days.

For now, the funding buys time. But with vendors like the City of Miramar, Florida still owed tens of thousands for hosting duties, and athletes only partially paid, the road to a 2026 season will depend on whether Grand Slam can rebuild trust—and attract new investment—before the clock runs out.