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Founder and Commissioner of Grand Slam Track (GST) Michael Johnson said the decision to cancel the final meet of its inaugural season, set to be held later this month in Los Angeles, will open the door to improvement for its second staging next year.
GST revealed on Thursday that the last of their four Slams had been cancelled, leading to an abrupt end to its inaugural season.
The innovative league, spearheaded by Johnson, had launched this year with three slams held in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia.
Speaking on the decision to conclude the season early, Johnson sought to focus on the positives and said having learnt a lot in their first three stagings, he is confident they can improve next year.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Johnson explained the decision to end the season early was not an easy choice, but felt it was the right decision to protect the league’s sustainability.
He believes the impact the GST series has had on the sport is a positive sign for the future and is pleased with the success they have achieve upon their launch.
“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,” Johnson explained.
“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.”
HERE TO STAY
Johnson confirmed the GST team has already began their preparations for the 2026 season, with discussions regarding venues to host the next series of meets.
He also confirmed that Los Angeles will be one of the cities to host a GST meet, having missed out on the occasion this year.
“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,” he said.
“We are committed to calling Los Angeles home, and look forward to hosting a Slam in LA as part of the 2026 season.”
With the season’s end, the final awards have also been given, with the United States Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek being named the Women’s and Men’s Racers of the Year, respectively.
Jefferson-Wooden had claimed the women’s short sprints Grand Slam titles in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia, winning five of the six races and tallying a total of 66 points.
Bednarek was unbeatable in the GST series as he swept all three men’s short sprints Grand Slam titles in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia, walking away with a perfect 72 points.
The best performing Jamaican athlete in the inaugural season was Ackera Nugent in the women’s short hurdles group.
Nugent had taken the Miami and Philadelphia Grand Slam titles, with fellow Jamaica Danielle Williams taking the Kingston title.
English (US) ·