6 Kenyan athletes to receive millions from Grand Slam Track delayed payment
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Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 04.10.25. | 22:00
The series cancelled its final meet of the year in June and owed about $19 million (Ksh2.45 billion) to athletes and vendors
Grand Slam Track has settled half of the money the league owes to athletes after three legs that have been plagued by financial turmoil.
The league received an 8-figure emergency lifeline from existing investors, effectively avoiding an impending collapse.
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The cash allowed the league to pay athletes half of their dues on Friday, 3 October, covering unpaid prize money and appearance fees from its three meets earlier this year in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia.
At least six Kenyans are beneficiaries of the payout, with World 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi leading the list with over Ksh12 million in expected payout.
Agnes Jebet Ngetich, Susan Ejore, Hellen Ekalale, Ronald Kwemoi, and Mary Moraa are the others expected to have received the payments.
The series cancelled its final meet of the year in June and owed about $19 million (Ksh2.45 billion) to athletes and vendors.
Its founder, Olympic champion Michael Johnson, had, in August, admitted that Grand Slam did not have the funds to pay athletes, but he was still working with investors to secure funding for this year and the future.
“Today is the beginning of Grand Slam Track’s reboot,” says a Friday memo, as reported by FOS. “We apologise for the frustrations and hardships caused by the payment delays to date.
Over the next 60 days, we will be working hard to make things right with everyone who helped make 2025 a success, to best position GST for 2026 and beyond.
This is a critical step in that delicate and difficult process, but know there is a path. Our appreciation of your grace and support as we walk that path cannot be overstated.”
Cracks in the facade began to appear in Philadelphia when Grand Slam shortened the meet weekend from three days to two, cut the 5,000 meters for both men and women, and did not fill open racing spots.
The league then cancelled its fourth meet in Los Angeles. In June, the company laid off about six people and cut the remaining staff’s pay by 15%.
