Running News Daily

Michael Johnson’s ambitious new track and field league, Grand Slam Track, is facing a major financial crisis after a key investor backed out of their funding commitment, leaving the startup owing athletes and vendors over $13 million.

Launched in early 2025 with the goal of transforming the economics of elite track competition, Grand Slam Track promised unprecedented prize money across four high-profile meets. Athletes were told they could earn up to $100,000 per event, far surpassing the standard payouts in the sport.

But just months into its debut season, the reality behind the scenes has shifted dramatically.

“A major investor failed to fulfill their full commitment,” Johnson told Front Office Sports. “That put us in a major, major cash flow issue.”

Millions Owed to Athletes

Only appearance fees from the opening event in Kingston, Jamaica have been paid out. Payments for subsequent events in Miami and Philadelphia are still pending, and no compensation was issued for the Los Angeles event, which was ultimately canceled.

In total, Grand Slam Track now owes at least $13 million to athletes, plus an undisclosed amount to vendors and venues. The startup also defaulted on payments to key partners, including approximately $78,000 owed to the Ansin Sports Complex in Florida.

Athletes have voiced their frustration publicly. Sprinter Gabby Thomas and British star Zharnel Hughes are among those still awaiting payments. The company has informed agents that Kingston prize money will be paid by end of July, with all other dues—including from the canceled LA meet—settled by September.

World Athletics Steps In

The growing controversy has caught the attention of World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, who said the organization is “monitoring the situation closely.” In recent interviews, Coe cautioned against “vanity projects” that are heavy on promise but light on execution, adding that athletes and agents have raised formal concerns with the global governing body.

“We have been in discussions with the Association of Athletics Managers,” Coe said, “and we are aware of the growing tension.”

Who Backed Out?

Johnson has so far declined to name the investor who reneged on their funding, but according to sources, the pullout happened days after the Kingston event. The investor allegedly redirected their capital elsewhere due to shifting global financial conditions, including tariff changes.

Can GST Recover?

Despite the turmoil, Johnson says the mission of Grand Slam Track is far from over. A new investor—reportedly Vista Equity’s Robert Smith—joined prior to the Philadelphia event, and Johnson insists the team is working “around the clock” to secure additional capital.

“We’ve got to get this right,” he said. “Our priority is to make sure our athletes and vendors are paid before we even think about next season.”

As of now, all 2025 payments remain outstanding, and the 2026 season hangs in the balance.

What began with just 10 teams in 1923 has grown into one of the largest and most celebrated relay races in the world.

On Saturday, the streets of Oslo turned into a nonstop running festival as approximately 80,000 runners participated in the 2026 edition of the Holmenkollstafetten, setting a new participation record for the historic Norwegian relay. More than 5,500 teams filled the event to capacity, making this year’s race the largest in its 103-year history.

Known throughout Norway as “Vårens vakreste eventyr” — “The Most Beautiful Adventure of Spring” — the Holmenkollstafetten is far more than a race. It is a national tradition that brings together elite athletes, office workers, students, families, and recreational runners in one giant celebration of running and community.

The relay covers roughly 18 kilometers through Oslo on 15 stages, beginning and ending at historic Bislett Stadium. Some legs are short, explosive sprints while others climb steep hills toward the Holmenkollen area, giving the event its distinctive challenge and character.

Throughout the day, Oslo pulsed with energy. Teams stretched along sidewalks waiting for exchanges, spectators packed the streets cheering every runner, and music echoed through neighborhoods as wave after wave moved through the city. Serious racing mixed naturally with laughter, costumes, corporate teams, school groups, and longtime running clubs.

The scale of the event is extraordinary. Just a year ago, participation reached a then-record of nearly 75,000 runners. This year’s jump to around 80,000 confirms the continued rise of a race that has become one of the defining running events in Europe.

The Holmenkollstafetten has evolved dramatically over the decades. In 1984, the race surpassed 1,000 teams for the first time. Today, participation has multiplied several times over, creating a logistical masterpiece involving thousands of volunteers, extensive road closures, carefully timed starts, and nearly nonstop movement through the Norwegian capital.

Organized by the legendary athletics club IK Tjalve, the event also plays a major role in supporting athletics development in Norway. Revenue from the race helps fund youth programs, elite competition, facilities, and club operations.

While participation is the soul of the event, the elite racing remained highly competitive.

In the women’s elite division, SK Vidar captured victory in 55:42, defeating host club Tjalve by 44 seconds. Seventeen-year-old Ingrid Taggart delivered a decisive anchor leg to secure the win, while Sweden’s Hälle IF finished third.

The men’s race produced another dramatic battle as Ullensaker/Kisa claimed its fourth consecutive victory after holding off Vidar over the closing stages. Tjalve finished third. Norwegian ski legend Petter Northug also competed, adding even more attention to the day’s festivities.

One of the unique aspects of the Holmenkollstafetten is that world-class athletes and first-time runners all share the same roads, the same atmosphere, and the same experience. Elite runners race through the stages at breathtaking speed while everyday participants embrace the event for teamwork, fitness, and pure enjoyment.

That combination of serious competition and community spirit gives the Holmenkollstafetten a character unlike almost any other race in the world.

Even with massive crowds and busy exchange zones, the atmosphere remained overwhelmingly positive from start to finish. Families lined the streets for hours, runners celebrated after every leg, and Bislett Stadium stayed alive with energy deep into the evening.

At a time when many sporting events struggle to build lasting community connection, the Holmenkollstafetten continues to thrive by offering something timeless: a city running together.

For one spring day each year, Oslo becomes one giant relay team.

Indonesia’s marathon sensation Robi Syianturi continues to elevate long-distance running in Southeast Asia after producing another historic performance at the Copenhagen Marathon 2026, where he clocked a remarkable 2:12:20 to finish 10th overall and set a new Southeast Asian marathon record once again.

The Indonesian star has been on a breathtaking rise over the past year, consistently lowering his personal best and pushing the boundaries of marathon running in the region. His latest performance in Copenhagen marked yet another milestone in an extraordinary journey that is rapidly transforming the perception of Southeast Asian distance running on the global stage.

Syianturi first stunned the athletics world in July 2025 at the Gold Coast Marathon 2025, where he ran 2:15:04 to break an Indonesian national record that had stood untouched for 32 years. That breakthrough opened the door to a new chapter in his career and signaled the arrival of a serious marathon contender from Indonesia.

He returned even stronger in February at the Osaka Marathon 2026, slashing nearly two minutes off his previous best with an impressive 2:13:18. Many believed that performance would stand as the defining race of his career for some time, but Syianturi had other plans.

In Copenhagen, he delivered his finest marathon yet.

Running with confidence and composure against a deep international field, Syianturi crossed the finish line in 2:12:20, becoming the first Southeast Asian athlete to reach such a level in the men’s marathon. Despite finishing 10th overall, his time carried enormous significance far beyond the final standings. It was another powerful statement of progress, resilience, and ambition from an athlete determined to keep rewriting history.

What makes Syianturi’s rise even more remarkable is the speed of his improvement. In less than a year, he has reduced his marathon best by nearly three minutes while consistently competing on major international stages. Each race has revealed a stronger, more mature athlete capable of handling elite competition with increasing confidence.

His performances are also inspiring a new generation of runners across Indonesia and Southeast Asia, regions that have traditionally struggled to compete with the dominant marathon nations of East Africa and Japan. Syianturi is proving that with belief, discipline, and world-class preparation, new barriers can be broken.

As the marathon world continues to evolve, Robi Syianturi’s name is quickly becoming impossible to ignore. From Gold Coast to Osaka and now Copenhagen, the Indonesian star is not only chasing faster times — he is building a legacy that could redefine distance running in Southeast Asia for years to come.

Jimmy Gressier once again proved why he remains one of Europe’s most dominant road runners after storming to his fourth French national 10km title in Troyes with a commanding time of 27:47.

In a race packed with intensity and quality, the French star delivered a performance full of control, confidence, and class, breaking away from the field to secure yet another national crown in emphatic fashion. Beyond the title itself, the victory also carried greater significance as Gressier comfortably achieved the qualifying standard for the upcoming European Athletics Championships, underlining his growing ambitions on the continental stage.

From the early stages of the race, Gressier dictated the rhythm with remarkable composure, showing the strength and endurance that have made him one of France’s finest distance athletes of his generation. His aggressive yet calculated pace eventually proved too much for the chasing pack as he powered through the streets of Troyes to another memorable triumph.

Finishing second was Simon Bédard of Haute Bretagne Athletics, who crossed the line in 28:34 after a determined effort to stay within touching distance of the champion. Just one second behind him came Abderrazak Charik of Racing Multi Athlon in 28:35, completing a highly competitive podium battle.

For Gressier, this latest victory further cements his legacy within French distance running. Winning one national title is impressive, but capturing four speaks volumes about his consistency, resilience, and relentless hunger to remain at the summit of the sport.

With the Birmingham European Championships now firmly in his sights, the French star looks sharper than ever — and if this performance in Troyes is any indication, he could soon be ready to challenge the very best in Europe once again.

Kenya’s Mercy Chebwogen produced a magnificent performance on the streets of Copenhagen, Denmark storming to victory at the 2026 edition of Copenhagen Marathon in a sensational course record of 2:22:08.

What a race it was. Chebwogen battled relentlessly from start to finish, displaying extraordinary resilience and determination against a fiercely competitive field before sealing a memorable victory in emphatic fashion. Her breathtaking 2:22:08 not only secured the title, but also shattered the women’s course record in spectacular style.

Chebwogen delivered a race defined by patience, strength, and tactical brilliance before unleashing a decisive surge in the latter stages to separate herself from the chasing pack. As she crossed the finish line with her arms raised in celebration, the Kenyan star etched her name into the history books with one of the finest women’s performances ever seen at the event.

The race unfolded at a relentless pace from the opening kilometres, but Chebwogen remained composed throughout, conserving energy while her closest challengers attempted to stay within reach. Once she took command, there was no response from the field as she powered through the Danish capital with remarkable efficiency and control.

Representing Bahrain, Tigist Gashaw claimed second place in 2:23:07 after a determined run, while Ethiopia’s Ftaw Zeray Shugi secured third in 2:24:38 to complete a highly competitive podium.

Chebwogen’s triumph once again underlined Kenya’s enduring dominance in global road racing and added another memorable chapter to the country’s rich marathon legacy. Her course-record victory was not only a personal milestone, but also a statement performance that will resonate across the marathon world for a long time.

Women’s Top 3 Results

1. Mercy Chebwogen (Kenya) – 2:22:08 CR

2. Tigist Gashaw (Bahrain) – 2:23:07

3. Ftaw Zeray Shugi (Ethiopia) – 2:24:38

With this commanding victory in Copenhagen, Mercy Chebwogen has firmly announced herself among the rising forces in women’s marathon running. Her record-breaking run combined courage, discipline, and world-class endurance, leaving spectators in awe and sending a strong message to the global marathon scene that an exciting new chapter in her career is only just beginning.

Tadesse Kassa of Ethiopia produced a commanding performance to claim victory at the Copenhagen Marathon 2026, storming to the finish line in a personal best of 2:08:26 after a fiercely contested battle through the streets of the Danish capital.

The Ethiopian distance star delivered a composed and tactical race, breaking away in the closing stages to secure a memorable triumph ahead of a world-class field. His victory capped a high-quality men’s race that remained unpredictable deep into the final kilometres, with several athletes still in contention before the decisive surge.

Kenya’s Vincent Mutai pushed hard all the way to the line and settled for second place in 2:08:30, only four seconds behind the winner in one of the closest finishes of the season so far. Ethiopia’s Dejene Weyen completed the podium with a strong run of 2:09:14, ensuring Ethiopia placed two athletes inside the top three.

The race unfolded at an aggressive pace from the early stages, with the lead pack refusing to hold back despite the demanding conditions. Kassa, however, remained patient and controlled, waiting for the perfect moment before unleashing his finishing strength near the end of the race.

For Vincent Mutai of Kenya, the narrow defeat will still be remembered as a remarkable performance after staying shoulder-to-shoulder with the eventual champion for most of the contest. Meanwhile, Dejene Weyfen of Ethiopia showed impressive consistency to secure a deserved podium finish in a highly competitive field.

Beyond the podium battle, several athletes produced notable performances, with personal bests and season bests highlighting the depth of quality on display in Copenhagen.

Men’s Top 10 Results

1. Tadesse Kassa (Ethiopia) – 2:08:26 PB

2. Vincent Mutai (Kenya) – 2:08:30 PB

3. Dejene Weyfen (Ethiopia) – 2:09:14 SB

4. Merhawi Kesete (Eritrea) – 2:09:16 SB

4. Henok Tesfay (Eritrea) – 2:10:10 SB

6. Tesfaye Demeke (Ethiopia) – 2:11:09

7. Dennis Kipkosgei (Kenya) – 2:12:03

8. Abdenasser Oukhelfen Ben Haddou (Spain) – 2:12:13

9. Omar Hassan (Ecuador) – 2:12:17 PB

10. Robi Syianturi (Indonesia) – 2:12:20 PB

Copenhagen once again delivered a spectacular marathon atmosphere, but this year belonged to Tadesse Kassa of Ethiopia — a man who combined patience, courage and finishing power to write his name into the history of the race.