“Grand Slam Track is track, that is what we’re doing. I am going to save what I think I can save; I think I can save track, I don’t think I can save track and field,” the comment came from Michael Johnson back in 2024 when the track and field legend talked of his brainchild, Grand Slam Track. When it finally did come to life, it sure did what it was meant to, despite a sudden end, the event successfully brought a lot of attention to the track and also financial help to the athletes who needed it. Sydney McLaughlin to Kenny Bednarek, many athletes showed up, but one who did not was Noah Lyles. The 2024 Olympic gold medalist had a closed attitude toward participation in GST, and now that the event is over, he spoke about people trying to save the track. What does he say?

“I think at the moment we’re in a state of almost limbo. We have a lot of people who want to get in and don’t know how. We have a lot of people who believe that the sport needs saving, and it doesn’t so much need saving as much as it needs help,” said Noah Lyles in an interview with Sports Business Journal on June 18, 2025. The Olympian was asked about his thoughts on the state of athletics at the moment. Several people who are not rated for track and field are entering the sport, trying to save it. An example of this can be the Enhanced Games that are to take place in 2026 and will allow the use of performance enhancement drugs. 

It was founded by Australian lawyer Aron D’Souza and is backed by tech and finance figures, including Peter Thiel, Balaji Srinivasan, Christian Angermayer, and Donald Trump Jr., as well as Saudi investors. Although the event is not limited to track and field, it also includes many other sports. But it is an example of outsiders coming in to try to save track and field. Speaking over this further, Lyles continued in the interview, “You know, we’re very fortunate to be a sport that, while being an Olympic amateur sport, we have normal, consistent track meets outside of the Olympic year. And a lot of people are able to build lives off of those careers.”  

Throughout the year, there are invitational championships, a league-like diamond league, and a grand slam track for athletes to show up and prove that they can rule the track. The sport is not just limited to races in the Olympics. But Noah Lyles has a problem with this as well, citing, “The problem is it could be more consistent. It could be more prevalent. It could be more planned and structured. And that’s where, again, we need help, not saving, I would say.”

Grand Slam track was an attempt to uplift track and while one side of the coin is this that the three slams were fairly successful and it did what it was meant to a lot of extent but the other side of the coin is also that the track event that was meant to fill in the pockets of athletes had to cancel the fourth Slam due to financial reasons. But Michael Johnson is a man of the track, someone who has tasted the dirt of it. He not only understands the problem, but he has faced it. But then again, many people are coming in to save the sport and not help it.

Outsiders trying to save track and field

Michael Johnson brought in Bill Ackman’s Winners Alliance with a $30 million bankroll to launch Grand Slam Track, a pro league that offered $12.6 million in prize money across four events. Despite elite athletes and massive payouts, the inaugural season was cut short. The final slam was canceled, citing poor attendance, lack of sponsorships, and financial struggles as well. Another person who started from outside the track is Alexis Ohanian,

The former co-founder of Reddit built Athos, a women-only track meet in New York (September 2024) with $663,000 in prize money, entertainment elements, and athlete ownership—Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas are on board. It drew 4,500 fans and 3 million viewers, but remains a boutique showcase. Then there are the ultimate enhanced games. Like the Olympics, they will also include a lot of sports, track and field being one of them. 

The problem is not that it is backed by people unrelated to track (Peter Thiel, Christian Angermayer, Balaji Srinivasan, Donald Trump Jr., and others), but it also permits the athletes to go beyond the guidelines against the IOC/WADA and allows the use of performance enhancement drugs. The problem with this? While the athletes can perform great at enhanced games, they carry the risk of being banned from other meets. What are your thoughts?