Gabby Thomas Teams Up With Serena Williams’ Husband to Launch Women-Only Meet, Offers 6X Prize Than Diamond League

Gabby Thomas is one of the most decorated members of the US track and field team. The world has been getting a taste of her prowess since her remarkable 200m bronze-winning performance at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the 2023 World Championships, she left compeer Sha’Carri Richardson for bronze and soared to the 200m silver podium. Having showered herself with lucrative brand deals as well, another with a Serena Willaims connect may be in line for her.

Williams is still associated with the sporting world as a former tennis star and the No.1 in singles. But her husband, investor, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian wants to take athletics up a notch. And in his noble endeavor, he welcomed speedster Thomas for a grand partnership.

Gabby Thomas joins Alexis Ohanian in a next-generation track event

Rori Dunk’s X post reads, “Winners of the Alexis Ohanian women’s only meet, in partnership with Gabby Thomas, will receive 6-times more prize money than winners of the Diamond League”. A women’s only track meet aka 776 Invitational, everything the women dream of, will take place in September this year. Already an affiliate of New Balance since 2018, the 27-year-old locked herself in another deal for a better track future.

The event will feature several races and all the first-place finishers will get $60k each. $25k for the second place and $10k for the third place. If compared, the Diamond League offers $10k for the pole position, almost 6x less than what Ohanian promises to give. Always a supporter of women’s sports, Ohanian said, “We aim to build a best-in-class event that elevates the profile of top women athletes and creates a more equitable sporting landscape.” Thomas echoed while accepting that both visibility and inspiration should reside together in athletics. Let’s a take a look at why Thomas was the best choice.

Thomas’ track career impresses all

A neurobiology and global health graduate from Harvard University left her promising educational career to pursue track. But at Harvard, she earned 22 athletic titles proving herself as a deserving 100, 200m, and 60m contender. She has several school and Ivy League records, which took a pleasant turn at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic trials. Having been diagnosed with a benign liver tumor could have halted her career, but fortunately, didn’t.

That year at the trials, she finished behind GOAT Florence Griffith Joyner, by clocking a time of 21.61s. The Texas Relays in 2022 was a historic season-opener feat for her, but she missed out on the WC in the wake of a hamstring injury. 2023 gifted her with the fastest 200m time and a gold medal at the US National Championship. The 776 Invitational is still to decide the event date, but it surely aims to bring back the attention that gets overlooked in the Olympic year.