What a time to be a track and field fan in the USA! As the dust settles after the 2024 Paris Games, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s Athlos NYC is waiting in the wings. The Gabby Thomas-led event, arriving on September 26, has the Harvard graduate buzzing with excitement as the first-ever professional female-focused track event makes its debut in the country.

Ever since Ohanian and Thomas announced their ambitious project earlier this year, speculations have been high as to what new thrill the event would bring to the table. Now, as the much-awaited event finally kicks off in three days, here’s how Gabby thinks it can revolutionize women’s sports.

A post by the official Athlos Instagram account from September 23 reveals how Thomas is preparing for the inaugural edition of the upcoming track event. “My muscles know what to do, my mind knows what to do,” says Gabby in the video, but even she couldn’t stop gushing about how her life seems like something incredible. “Being deemed one of the fastest women in the planet is very surreal,” Thomas says. “It’s certainly not something I ever imagined for myself,” sounds her honest confession about how the global track community looks up to her as a benchmark for female athletes.

Along with that, she also noted what makes Ohanian’s grand plan unique. “Athlos definitely feels like an event where we, as female athletes, have some ownership. We have some say,” Thomas describes how female track and field stars can benefit from the event, and how their voices in the sport can be amplified multifold at the Icahn Stadium this Thursday.

“We have a big part in it,” clarifies the 3x Olympic gold medalist as she notes her excitement for what’s to come. If that wasn’t enough, Thomas also highlighted how the entire thing still feels surreal to her. While she is yet to come to terms with the reality, it is indeed a fact that the Athlos event has the potential to usher in a new era for female track and field athletes.

Gabby Thomas is about to make history, courtesy of Ohanian

Ohanian’s commitment to elevating women’s sports is nothing new. His involvement with Angel City FC has already shown his dedication, and now he’s back at it with Athlos NYC 2024. Serena Williams’ husband has promised to award gold medalists a prize of $60,000—several times more than what winners receive at international tournaments like the Diamond League. Unsurprisingly, Ohanian’s offer has caught the attention of many female athletes worldwide. After months of buildup, the roster for the Athlos event is looking stellar and fans can expect an incredible showdown at the iconic Icahn Stadium in New York City.

True to Ohanian’s words, Gabby Thomas has been going all out to ensure Athlos’ debut is unforgettable. The neurobiology student and track star has been training intensely, determined to shine again after her incredible Paris campaign last month. Her dedication even led Alexis to admit that the excitement surrounding Athlos wouldn’t be as massive without Thomas at the forefront. Now, track fans are eagerly waiting to see what this collaboration delivers. Are you as excited as we are? Let us know what you’re most looking forward to in the comments!