Final Grand Slam Track event in Los Angeles cancelled

The last limb of Grand Slam Track - nan athletics title backed by Olympic awesome Michael Johnson - has been cancelled, sources person told nan BBC.

It is understood location were concerns astir economics of nan woody astatine nan last venue of nan 2025 almanac successful Los Angeles - nan metropolis that will big nan 2028 Olympics.

Organisers will alternatively ore connected adjacent season's programme.

It is besides understood Grand Slam Track (GST) is group to denote caller investors to thief money its 2nd season.

The title was owed to tally for 4 meets successful its debut season, culminating astatine University College Los Angeles' Drake Stadium connected 28-29 June.

The LA arena was successful statement to travel those successful nan Jamaican superior of Kingston - which had debased summons income passim - and successful nan USA successful Miami and Philadelphia.

The title featured a big of well-known athletes, including British Olympic sprinters Daryll Neita and Matthew Hudson-Smith, and 1500m world champion Josh Kerr.

Male and female competitors are subdivided into six categories - each containing 8 athletes - specified arsenic Short Sprints, pinch nan 8 featuring successful that group competing successful nan 100m and 200m each weekend.

It offered important financial incentives, pinch up to $100,000 (£73,600) connected connection for nan winners of title categories, arsenic good arsenic salaries for contracted athletes.

GST has suffered controversies successful its maiden year. American three-time Olympic champion Gabby Thomas was allegedly abused during nan meet successful Philadelphia.

And Johnson himself admitted he would "love to spot much spectators" aft nan opening arena successful Kingston was poorly attended successful April.

However, organisers do see nan 3 meetings that took spot a success.

Johnson said erstwhile launching nan arena that while it whitethorn not beryllium a financial occurrence successful nan short-term, he believed successful its semipermanent viability.

British middle-distance runner Elliot Giles took portion successful nan Philadelphia limb of nan title and told BBC Sport it was a "phenomenal" event.

"The existent experience, nan set-up, nan hype, nan marketing, was brilliant," Giles said.

"I'd emotion to spot it again. Competition is what we request successful our sport.

"It's nan aforesaid arsenic what's happening successful boxing now. You get different group involved, caller promoters, caller people, task capitalists putting into it, and nan athletics explodes and past performances travel and everything other follows."