Josh Kerr ‘frustrated’ by six-figure sum owed by failed Grand Slam Track project

Josh Kerr concedes he is “frustrated” by the six-figure balance owed to him by Michael Johnson’s failed Grand Slam Track project but still believes its organisers are “good people” who got themselves in a “horrible situation”.

Grand Slam Track curtailed its inaugural 2025 season then filed for bankruptcy in December, with millions collectively owed to athletes including Scottish two-time world champion Kerr – who has submitted a claim for 218,750 US dollars (£164,150) – among the athletes the most out of pocket.

A court filing by vendors earlier this month also claimed Johnson was secretly paid 500,000 US dollars (£372,750) when he was aware vendors and creditors would be owed – accusations representatives for the project have reportedly denied, pointing to the millions the four-time Olympic champion advanced towards operating expenses.

“Of course I’m frustrated,” said Kerr. “I’m owed a lot of money, so in any business anyone’s going to be frustrated. I don’t particularly know right now where to push those frustrations and where they should sit.

“I’ve had conversations with Michael, I’ve had information given to me by my agents on this stuff. I don’t think these are bad people. I think this is a horrible situation.

“I’m not super worried about myself. I’m worried about some of the other athletes, and they had their stories exposed of working jobs and not being sponsored, and then they had this life-changing money. That’s what I care about.

“The top people in the vendor list are not a priority in my book. I just see the athletes who are owed the most money like, we’re able to go other places and get opportunities, and I’m really grateful for that.

“I do think a lot of this stuff, a lot of it is getting exposed a little bit here and there, and we’re learning more about the story, but I’m standing with the people I’ve signed with. I think they are good people, I think this is just a horrible situation.”

Kerr has recovered from the grade-two calf tear he sustained in a “freak accident” during last year’s 1500m final at the World Athletics Championships in Japan, a turnaround that was “a lot quicker than you’d expect from a guy that couldn’t even walk himself to breakfast”.

This week in Poland, the 2023 world 1500m champion will look to reclaim the world indoor 3000m title he won on home turf in Glasgow two years ago, after injury and illness prevented the Edinburgh athlete from defending it last year.

With a home Commonwealth Games also on the horizon, Albuquerque-based Kerr plans to race as much as possible in Europe and the UK, to “get back to my roots of racing and back home as much as possible”.

A third world title, Kerr said, would be a “really big stepping stone” into a season he hopes will silence his critics.

He added: “I believe I am the best athlete in the world at these distances. There’s no one in the world who can convince me otherwise,” he added.