'Never thought a meet would not pay:' Grand Slam Track bankruptcy takes a toll on struggling runners

His name wasn't splashed across any of the headlines when Grand Slam Track — the running league that was supposed to infuse cash into the sport and its athletes' bank accounts — declared bankruptcy, making it official that dozens of runners and even more vendors might not see any of the money they were promised.

But Eric Edwards Jr., an up-and-coming hurdler trying to supercharge his young career, really needed that money. He was going to use it to pay rent, put gas in his car and fund his training.

According to the league's bankruptcy filing, Edwards is still owed more than $19,000 — a relatively small entry among the list of more than 300 people and companies owed some $40 million by the league dreamed up by sprinting great Michael Johnson that has failed in spectacular fashion. But it's a big amount for a hurdler trying to make ends meet.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Edwards told of his initial reaction when he first heard about the $12.8 million in prize money and other bonuses GST was giving to some for simply signing up: ''I'm like, y'all are crazy,'' he said.

Now, a different sort of disbelief.

''I never thought a meet would not pay the money,'' the 26-year-old Edwards said.

Agents see league's plans for 2026 and cry foul

Part of those plans, according to the statement, is to set aside $400,000 for athlete recruitment for the 2026 season.

''This would all be funded prior to any other 2025 payments being made,'' the statement said. ''The AAM does not support this approach.''

The GST's president and CEO, Steve Gera — himself owed more than $170,000, according to the bankruptcy filing — did not return an email sent by the AP seeking comment.

GST's latest filing on the bankruptcy is due Friday. A hearing is scheduled for next Wednesday.

Michael Johnson made GST a $2.2 million loan that hasn't been repaid

The league ended up scrapping its fourth event, scheduled for Los Angeles in June.

Others owed big money include Olympic champions Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone ($268,750), Gabby Thomas ($185,625), Marileidy Paulino ($173,125) and world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden ($175,375).

Those athletes were among those GST signed when it made a big splash with the promise that track, decades after it stopped being a marquee sport, would still grab eyeballs and pay good money to athletes even when the Olympics were over.

The league quickly ran into problems, with reports surfacing as early as the first meet in Jamaica that athletes and vendors weren't being paid.

Edwards needed every penny to make ends meet

Edwards' story, however, is more common.

Without a shoe deal, or any major sponsors, he needs every penny he can get to keep running. Though he did receive about half of what was owed him, the $19,000 is a meaningful chunk. He now has a part-time delivery job at Amazon to make ends meet while he continues training. He also moved back home to Houston to live with his family.

''When Grand Slam started up, I finished 15th in the world,'' Edwards said during a phone interview from France, where he's competing in indoor meets. ''If you look at, like, the 15th-best wide receiver in the NFL, or 15th-best NBA player, they're making bank. The 15th-best hurdler in the world can't even pay rent. It's crazy how that happens, but that was my reality."

His typical day when he's home starts with a 6 a.m. trip to his high school track to work out on his own, following instructions his coach curated and sent to him. He keeps his work uniform in his car — along with a protein shake — so he can go straight from the track to start a 10-hour shift for Amazon.

The Summer Olympics are more than two years away and that would be his ultimate goal, maybe even a path to riches. These days, though, he's living day to day — the dream of a big-money league coming to the rescue now nothing more than a far-off mirage.

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