The world of track & field can be unforgiving. While a select few etch their names into history with glory and wealth, many athletes are left unsupported, slipping into financial hardship. Take Florence Griffith-Joyner, for instance; she may have been a legend of the sport, but even she had to briefly leave athletics to work other jobs due to financial constraints. Now, another name has emerged in this unfortunate narrative: two-time Commonwealth champion Marcus Adam, who reportedly has serious health issues and is turning to the public for support.

200m Commonwealth Games gold medalist and ex-Olympian Marcus Adam has found himself in the tussle of keeping up with life. Adam has spent the last two years battling severe health issues, suffering from chronic fatigue, significant weight loss, and alarming symptoms such as coughing up blood. On top of that, his flat was contaminated by mold and dampness, forcing him to stay with friends, as his landlord took no steps to fix it.

Furthermore, his recent hospital reports showed that he is suffering from extensive kidney damage. His kidneys are now functioning at just 15% of their normal capacity, and he has been advised to undergo dialysis. If this does not improve his condition, a kidney transplant may be necessary.

Mick Doherty, owner of The Islington Sports Bar, where Adam is head of security, has started a GoFundMe for the former athlete to raise $10,000 for his private medical treatment. As of now, the fundraiser is 80% of the way there with £7,967 raised. A well-loved figure in North London and beyond, known in the athletics community, at Arsenal Football Club, and through the many pubs and clubs where he has worked in security over the years, Adam has been met by a wave of support with 222 donations made since the GoFundMe went up 8 days ago.

According to the GoFundMe page, in addition to ongoing donations, a special benefit night will be held on Saturday, 22nd November 2025, at the Islington Sports Bar & Grill. All proceeds from the evening, including donations and auction sales, will go directly to supporting Adam. Representing Great Britain, Adams clinched the 200m gold as well as the 4×100 m relay gold for his country back in 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand.

The athlete won a silver medal at the European Championships in 1990 as well as in the 4×100 relay. After retiring from athletics, he made the unlikely transition to bobsleigh, competing in the two-man event at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where he finished tenth. Earlier, he had represented his country as a sprinter at the 1992 Summer Olympics, placing eighth in the 200m and fourth in the 4 × 100m relay. Despite representing his country numerous times internationally, the reality that many athletes face is that the sport oftentimes just doesn’t lead to financial support.

A GoFundMe boom for track & field athletes

Marcus Adam isn’t alone; many athletes have faced similar struggles. Across the pond, in the highly competitive world of U.S. track and field, some juggle multiple jobs just to chase their dreams, while others turn to GoFundMes for support.

One such athlete is Veronica Fraley, a former Olympian and two-time World Championship qualifier in the women’s discus. To continue her journey toward representing the U.S. at the LA 2028 Olympics, she launched a GoFundMe with a $20,000 goal—and has already raised $23,998.

Even legendary marathoners also face such issues, as New York City marathon legend Ashley Uhl-Leavitt says, “Hundreds of thousands of people tried to get a handful [marathon] spots. It was such a long shot.” Despite her impressive achievements, she can’t train full-time, balancing the demands of two jobs—personal training by day and bartending by night, while still fighting to make ends meet.

Australian hurdler Alanah Yukich, Colombian runner Ally Gonzalez, and U.S. hurdler Dylan Beard are just a few more examples of athletes who have set up separate GoFundMe pages to help with their expenses in the harsh world of track and field. Despite qualifying for the 400mH at last year’s Olympics, Yukich still had to turn to crowdfunding to continue her journey. So did Gonzalez, to try and fulfill her dream of making a World Championships team, while Dylan Beard raised funds in an attempt to make the Olympic team last year.

It’s often the stars that make the headlines in track, but behind the scenes, what keeps the sport alive are the hundreds of athletes just striving to make it in the sport they love.