Alexis Ohanian Reacts After Brittany Brown Takes Direct Dig at Diamond League: “You Understand That”

The 2024 season has been nothing but remarkable for Brittany Brown. She first turned heads with a spectacular third-place finish in 22.20 seconds in the French capital. However, the track and field community has also witnessed her skills during the Diamond League. But she still had one event to run—Athlos NYC. On September 26, the Olympian stepped into the Icahn Stadium with her sights set on the big prize.

The 29-year-old contested in 2 events: the 100m and the 200m. The Olympic bronze medalist walked away from the meet with $85,000. She even got a beautiful custom-made Tiffany & Co. crown. After the event, the 29-year-old took to X writing, “In 33 seconds I made some pro track and field athletes base shoe contract. Do you understand that ?”

After her second-place finish in the Olympics, the sprinter had specifically stated that she didn’t have a shoe contract when she started her career. Brittany Brown continued, “Even if wouldve won both the 100 and 200 at the DL final I still wouldn’t have made the amount of money I made last night.” The sprinter scorched to the finish at the Brussels Diamond League in 22.20 seconds. Along with the DL Champion title, she also received the Diamond Trophy and $30,000.

“INVESTMENT 🤝🏾🤝🏾🤝🏾“ However, this brought out a cheeky response from Alexis Ohanian, who responded with a simple smirking face emoji. As per the Diamond League rules, whoever claims the top spot at every meet receives $10,000. The runner-up gets to walk away with $6,000. The remaining six take home $3,500, $2,000, $1,250, $1,000, $750 and $500. While the prize money was significantly higher at the finals, it still didn’t match what Athlos NYC offered.

While first place took away the DL trophy and $30,000, the runner-up would bag $12,000. The third place took home $7,000, the fourth place received $4,000, and the remaining 4 would walk away with $2,500, $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000. Meanwhile, Athlos NYC upped the ante with an eye-popping $60,000 prize for every first-place finisher across all events.

But they didn’t stop there—second and third place snagged $25,000 and $10,000, respectively. Even if you finished fourth through sixth, you weren’t walking away empty-handed, pocketing $8,000, $5,000, and $2,500. So, how did the sprinter fare at the all-female track event?

The 29-year-old locked horns with Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith in the 100m. But much to her dismay, Brittany Brown couldn’t match her pace. Ta Lou-Smith surged to the finish line in 10.98 seconds, while the 200m Olympic bronze medalist trailed behind in a season-best 11.05 seconds. But she still managed to bag $25,000 for her second-place finish. However, fans were excited to see her return for the 200m. Did she emerge victorious?

Brittany Brown redeemed herself in the 200m event at Athlos NYC

Gabby Thomas may have the ‘200m Olympic Champion’ title, but it was Brittany Brown who emerged victorious. The former kept a steady pace throughout the track. In fact, many hoped she would bolt past her competitors in the final 50m. But things didn’t exactly pan out that way. Thomas eventually slowed down in the final 10, and the 29-year-old used this to her advantage. She surged past Thomas, crossing the finish line in a blistering 22.18 seconds. 

The gap? Just three-hundredths of a second! Thomas clocked in at 22.20, but in the end, it was Brown who got to flex as the only American winner of the day, along with a sweet $60,000 payday. And while she had the spotlight, Brown kept her post-race interview humble, saying, “I’m just really appreciative of everyone’s support and us women, and I’m just happy to be a part of this.” Simple, but after a race like that, the win spoke for itself.

It was impressive to watch her demeanor post the 200m event, especially considering she had just contested in the 100m 60 minutes ago. At the winner’s table, the 29-year-old looked back at her season. “It’s been an amazing season. I finish this race with a win, and I cannot thank the fans for coming out, the first inaugural event for all women.” It truly has been nothing but W’s for her. 

Brittany Brown clinched second place at the U.S. Olympic Trials. She then went ahead and claimed an Olympic bronze in front of a supportive crowd at Stade de France. The sprinter even snagged the top spot at every 200m event at the Oslo, Rome, and Brussels Diamond League. She truly couldn’t have drawn the curtains on this season any other way.