Gabby Thomas Angry With GST

^{July 5, 2025 | Edition #151}

👋 Hey, Speedsters!

It’s a bittersweet weekend…While problems are continuing to mount for Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, the good part is that Mondo Duplantis is gearing up to continue his family’s legacy. But, apart from him, a few expected faces are no longer going to make it to the Hayward track…So hop on, there’s a lot to catch up!

🌟 Track Stories

GST is Once Again Under Scrutiny!

While the cancellation of Grand Slam Track's final leg in LA was a shocker, there is now an even bigger setback….As per reports, the GST still owes money to the athletes who competed this spring. And the amount due is not just any number, but $13M! However, this isn’t the first time...

Hannah Cunliffe, an American track athlete, took to X on July 3rd and said, "We have to wait months to be paid. That's nothing new." She even said track athletes never get the prize money until the end of the season. Well, many track meets don’t send out payments fast….It was hoped that GST would change things! Till a month ago, GST was proving to be a revolutionary platform. Thanks to GST, watch how Sydney finally ran her first Pro 100m race ever! But things have changed now…

Reports say that the GST athletes have only been paid appearance fees for the Kingston Slam so far. That leaves the prize money and appearance fees for Miami and Philadelphia still unpaid. However, after the Association of Athletics Managers wrote to GST and had a Zoom call with Michael Johnson, GST sent emails assuring that the Kingston prize money would be received by the end of July and the remaining payments by September end. And now, after waiting for long, an American track star has spoken up!

Well, Gabby Thomas has commented on a TikTok video posted by GST, “plz pay me…” Looks like it’s just the beginning! However, still, there is no official statement from Johnson or any spokesperson….So did the GST bite off more than it could chew when it initially promised to pay athletes $12.6M as prize money? Maybe or Maybe not! But for sure, this is a wake-up call for the sport!

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📈 Trending News

Mondo Has a Special Prefontaine Connection!

As Mondo Duplantis will walk into the Hayward Field on July 5th, a ton of memories will hit him...After all, this is the field where he soared to a world record in 2023. But that’s not all, as there's a family legacy to uphold, too…

During the Prefontaine press conference, Mondo read out a message from his grandpa, reminding him to mention that Mondo's father won the Pre-Classic pole vault in 1992...The proud son then exclaimed, "So, my father did win the Pre-Classic...." Yes, that’s true, Greg Duplantis did win! Also, Mondo and Greg are now the first-ever father-son duo to win at the Pre-Classic.

Interestingly, Mondo wasn't even born when Greg soared 5.70m in 1992.....But 2019 witnessed a poetic moment. Exactly, 27 years later, in the same event, same field, Mondo won his first Prefontaine vault title! Mondo emerged as a second-generation winner, despite having a different style from Greg. Yes, Greg vaulted with a trail leg, while Mondo leaned into a more French approach….However, both tasted success…Watch Mondo claiming his father’s legacy below!

But it wasn’t his first attempt! Well, for the first two years at the Pre-Classic, Mondo couldn’t win. He came fourth in 2017 and second in 2018. But by 2019, he flew 0.23 meters higher than his dad’s 1992 mark. In 2022, he went 0.21m above Greg again. And in 2023? He went a full 0.53m higher. And now in 2025, we are just thinking: How much higher can Mondo make it?

Watch: Mondo’s Duplantis Making 2023 Pre-Classic Unforgettable, Here!

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🎖️ Beyond The Medals

Pre-Classic Suffers Setbacks!

Despite it being the 50th-anniversary special edition, excitement for the 2025 Prefontaine Classic has cooled down a bit... You may ask why! Well, the key athletes are pulling out one after another. The first blow came when shot put world record holder, Ryan Crouser, unfortunately, backed out. That was a tough pill to swallow, but now, more have followed…

Olympic silver medalist Kenny Bednarek has announced that he’s bowing out. Bednarek's “dealing with some tightness,” and his team decided it’s better to take a step back. He will now focus on recovery to avoid any risks before Nationals and the Worlds. However, this has come as a bummer for everybody expecting Tebogo vs. Kenny 200m showdown… After all, the last time they met at Brussels, DL in 2024, Kenny smoked Tebogo! Couldn’t remember? Relive that moment here! Guess Tebogo will have to wait longer for revenge! However, there’s more news…

Until yesterday, 400m Olympic champion Quincy Hall was ready to take down Michael Norman’s Prefontaine meet record. But today, hours before showtime, Hall also pulled out. His reason? Just like Bednarek’s, an injury that needs proper treatment. Clearly, no one’s willing to risk it this season...

And all this comes days after Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Bowerman Mile meet record holder, was scratched from the lineup. That was the first sign, and now many stars have dropped out. Will these bring down the Pre-Classic hype?

Watch: How Quincy Hall crushed the field on June 6, Rome DL!

📊 POLL OF THE DAY

Last Poll Result: We asked you, “Can Sha’Carri & Colmean Win Gold Again at Prefontaine Classic After Dominating in 2024?” Well, the verdict’s still up in the air — no clear majority! But as they gear up to line up at Prefontaine, we’re just a few hours away from finding out: Can they make history with back-to-back wins?

That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!

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