“We’re not just building a league—we’re building a movement.” That was Michael Johnson back in June, full of ambition for his Grand Slam Track project. He envisioned a revolution in the sport’s ecosystem, but everything came crashing down after the Kingston chapter. Investors pulled out, promised contributions vanished, and Johnson now faces a staggering $30 million liability to the athletes who took part in the initial event. In contrast, Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos is not just surviving; it’s thriving. The newly announced world record prize pool has grabbed headlines, and yes, even Fred Kerley is paying attention.

On October 2nd, after Alexis Ohanian’s women-only track meet teamed up with Cash App to deliver instant payouts (cutting out all the middlemen), another announcement took the center stage. Athlos announced a jaw-dropping $250,000 reward for any athlete who breaks a world record. Ohanian shared the news on X, prompting Fred Kerley to chime in: ‘Right to pocket money!’ 

More so, at Athlos, if any runner breaks a world record at any of the seven events on the roster, they are set to receive a $250,000 prize money via Cash App’s peer-to-peer feature.

Indeed, Fred Kerley gained confidence in how Ohanian is planning to ensure smooth transactions so all the athletes who are participating get their payments timely. The other aspect of why the announcement from Athlos caught Kerley’s eye was because of all the things that went downhill during the Grand Slam Track. Earlier this year, the Grand Slam Track has left some agents fearing their clients will never receive their money, while others consider legal action.

Based on the prize pot formula on GST’s website, Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone are owed $180,000 and $250,000 in prize money alone respectively, while Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is owed $300,000. On the men’s side, Kenny Bednarek is owed $300,000 while Josh Kerr is waiting for more than $160,000. This is all before appearance fees. Athletes were even told the payment delays were due to testing protocols.

The story gets even more intriguing when you remember Fred Kerley’s role in the initial Grand Slam Track event. He was slated to race, but everything unraveled after his altercation with his ex-girlfriend drew police attention. As Grand Slam Track announced on Friday, May 23, 2025: “Grand Slam Track signed racer Fred Kerley is suspended pending the completion of legal proceedings and will not compete in Philadelphia.” What was meant to be a headline-grabbing debut turned into a tense legal pause for the sprinter.

Fred Kerley’s 2025 season showcased his explosive speed, clocking a 100m best of 9.98s in Azusa, a 200m best of 20.16s in Rabat, and a 400m best of 44.73s at Hilmer Lodge Stadium. Despite this, he placed seventh in the 100m (10.30s) and third in 200m (20.39s) at the Kingston Slam and missed out on the U.S. Championships and World Championships in Tokyo. Later in September, the 30-year-old confirmed his participation in the no-testing Enhanced Games. And now, Kerley is looking forward to clinch a hefty prize money bag through his participation in the Enhanced Games.

Fred Kerley takes the route to Enhanced Games

Back in August Kerley faced a provisional suspension from the Athletics Integrity Unit for the repeated whereabouts failure. Post his suspension, the American decided to participate in the Enhanced Games. The event is set to take place in May 2026 in Las Vegas. Unlike traditional competitions, the Enhanced Games permit the use of performance-enhancing substances under strict medical supervision.

In fact, the games have signed a handful of athletes across competitions like track, swimming, and weightlifting offering $500,000 per event, including $250,000 awarded to first place. There is also a $1 million bonus for breaking world records in the 100m sprint on the track or 50m freestyle in swimming. Hence, if Kerley surpasses Usain Bolt’s 100m record of 9.58 seconds, he would receive $1m in prize money.

Addressing the media, Kerley stated that fearing change is detrimental to the sport.“Change is not something to fear; it’s the only constant that guarantees growth. When you resist change, you stay locked in the past, but when you embrace it, you step into the future that’s waiting for you. The world will always have people who criticize, because judgment is easy and transformation is hard. Morality isn’t defined by those who point fingers. It’s defined by the courage of the one who dares to evolve.”

The athlete added that he has often been misunderstood, saying, “When you’re judged, misunderstood, or doubted, it’s a sign that you’ve broken away from the ordinary path.” Well, the athlete will be looking to make an impact in the next season, but will he be able to do it? Time will tell.