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A groundbreaking track meet in New York City is set to transform the landscape of women’s athletics. The event will feature substantial prize funding, renowned performers, and a field consisting solely of female athletes, marking a significant milestone for women’s sports.
The inaugural Athlos track meet, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., will see some of the fastest women in the world compete, including Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, who has helped elevate the profile of track and field.
This event’s unique format is made possible thanks to advocacy from influential figures in women’s sports, including U.S. soccer star Alex Morgan and basketball icons Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Their efforts highlight a shift in the narrative around women’s sports, challenging the long-held belief that these events lack viewer interest.
Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband of tennis superstar Serena Williams, rejected the notion that women’s sports are not popular. His commitment to change has led to the creation of Athlos, which is set to distribute over $500,000 in prize money, including a sharing model that allocates 10 percent of all profits directly to the athletes. Also included in the event is a performance by Grammy-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion.
“We approach this event with humility, focusing on doing right by the athletes involved,” Ohanian remarked, emphasizing the importance of respecting and investing in women’s sports. He pointed out that the previous underinvestment has held back the growth of women’s athletics, but the rising value of these sports makes them impossible to overlook now.
‘Everything is centered around us’
For hurdles athlete Alaysha Johnson, the all-female format of this meet symbolizes a powerful ending to a competitive season that included various prestigious events. She expressed pride in the attention this structure brings, saying, “Everything is centered around us.”
The Athlos meet, drawing its name from the Greek term for “athlete,” will feature a variety of races, including sprints and middle-distance events. Fans can catch the action live on the X platform, YouTube, and ESPN+, with a subsequent broadcast on ESPN2 over the weekend. Top competitors include Olympic champions like Thomas (200 meters), Masai Russell (hurdles), Marileidy Paulino (400 meters), and Faith Kipyegon (1,500 meters).
“Seeing so many talented athletes coming together is inspiring,” Johnson said, noting the financial investment in women’s sports as a clear indication of their importance and worth.
Increasing financial stakes in track
The influx of capital into track and field reflects a larger trend in sports. Notable initiatives include sprinting legend Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, which plans to host four events yearly starting in 2025, with significant prize money on the line. In addition, World Athletics is gearing up for the inaugural Ultimate Championships in Budapest in 2026, aimed at showcasing the sport’s elite athletes. Furthermore, the Diamond League has committed to enhancing its prize offerings, ensuring equitable compensation across genders.
Ohanian anticipates that Athlos will not only be a successful event but could also pave the way for future iterations. The winner will take home $60,000 and receive a unique crown designed by Tiffany & Co.
This mission to elevate women’s sports can be traced back to a pivotal moment in 2019 when Ohanian vocalized the underappreciation of female athletes following the U.S. women’s soccer team’s World Cup triumph. His journey has since included significant investments in ventures like Angel City FC, a team in the National Women’s Soccer League.
“It puzzled me that remarkable women garnered immense popularity every four years only to vanish from the spotlight,” Ohanian reflected. “Recognizing this gap presented an opportunity to ensure that these athletes remain visible and celebrated throughout the year.”
The emergence of stars like Clark and Reese further underscores this trend. Their match in the NCAA tournament drew an average of 12.3 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched events outside of NFL games in recent years. Ohanian noted that this younger generation of female athletes is attracting unprecedented attention, and he sees this as a significant disparity compared to historical levels of investment in women’s sports.
Assessing the interest in track
Ohanian’s interest in promoting female track athletes was sparked by the increasing visibility of track highlights in his social media feeds. Engaging with athletes and asking innovative questions about their sport provided valuable insights that ultimately led to the formation of Athlos.
Gabby Thomas was among the first to express her enthusiasm for the initiative. “Her enthusiastic response was an encouraging sign,” Ohanian said. He added that resistance to change often creates opportunities for meaningful innovation, emphasizing the importance of challenging the status quo.
“The true measure of success in any endeavor is how effectively it solves the problems at hand,” Ohanian concluded, underscoring the vision guiding the development of Athlos and its transformative potential for women’s track and field.
Source
www.cbc.ca