When you think of pioneers in women’s track and field, Sha’Carri Richardson’s name is hard to ignore. Her style, her energy, and her speed have inspired many around the world. One of whom is the man behind Athlos, Alexis Ohanian. In fact, Sha’Carri was one of the reasons that Athlos exists today. Recently, Ohanian opened up about how her journey resonated deeply with him.

“I see some Sha’Carri clips, and I’m like, wow, okay, like I can’t not pay attention to her,” Ohanian said. “She’s got this amazing energy; she’s great on the track, and she has this big personality.” However, his admiration doesn’t stop there. Alexis Ohanian went on to talk about Sha’Carri’s infamous drug charge. He, however, did not see it as a stain in her journey. Instead, he saw it as unfair treatment!

So what exactly happened to Sha’Carri Richardson to invoke this empathy? Sha’Carri had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, clocking 10.77, only to have her Olympic dream broken. During the mandatory drug tests, she tested positive for THC metabolites. The results caused outrage in the sports community. But Ohanian thought differently! “I thought, well, that’s kind of messed up,” he said.

Alexis Ohanian understands the pain of losing a loved one just as much as Sha’Carri. He went on to say, “I lost my mom when I was just starting out. Reddit, um, I definitely self-medicated quite a bit, using the Mary Jane.” The raw honesty is no gimmick; it came from a place of understanding what it means to suffer in silence while carrying the hopes of the world. “I’m like, I know that’s not a performance-enhancing drug. I realize it’s important to have drug testing; I get it. But, like, you can kind of pick and choose what the drug should be, and that one doesn’t seem like a very important one,” he added.

That was one of the first moments that Alexis Ohanian felt he needed to do something about track and field. He went on to talk about feeling closer to Sha’Carri since her 2020 downfall. “I was like, okay, now I have something invested. Like, now I actually really like—I want to see her be successful,” he added. A connection that has now led to the mammoth called Athlos. However, Athlos is not an individual story of an athlete. It is a conversation made against the larger backdrop of track and field. Sha’Carri might have kindled the fire, but today it is a volcano that could potentially change the face of track and field.

Calling out the lows of track and field!

The volatility of track and field is one that is hard to keep with, but it is time to call out the lows that have hindered the growth of the sport. And subsequently, it’s athletes. Ohanian’s inspired event, Athlos, is a wake-up call to the world of sports. Once in four years, when all the eyes in the world are on the Olympic track, some things seem to be forgotten. Amidst the bright lights, the sprints are, of course, applauded. But the years of training without the financial backing get swept under the carpet.

And Ohanian is not just paying attention to the issue. He is walking the talk. “This is the purest expression of sport, and it is excellence that everyone is paying attention to during the Olympics.” Yet, after the games, it’s back to the shadows. So why is that? “You start looking at a sport that ostensibly is so accessible, and yet it’s so hard to create a professional career. On the men’s and women’s side, frankly, it’s only the exceptional ones who can,” he added. And Ohanian is on a mission to change that.

With Athlos already confirmed for a 2025 season, Ohanian’s commitment is unfettered. In the same interview, he expressed his hope that the current generation of women track and field stars will be the last to dream of their sport without receiving the necessary opportunities. It is clear that Alexis Ohanian doesn’t just want to support the cause; he wants the upcoming generation of women interested in track and field to choose it with pride. And no doubts! He is at the end of it all, doing it for the Sha’Carri Richardsons of the world.