As the dust settles over the excitement for the Paris Olympics and Diamond League, track and field fans have another event to look forward to. Athlos NYC, the all-women’s track event, will take place on Thursday, September 26, in New York City. The event will bring together the world’s fastest women, hoping to increase the visibility of women’s sports. And who better to headline Athlos NYC than 200m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas? 

Alexis Ohanian announced his brainchild earlier this year. Given this is a one-of-a-kind experience, many aren’t sure of what to expect. However, the excitement is off the charts. We’re a few hours away from the inaugural event, and CITIUS MAG caught up with the sprinter ahead of the meet. She was asked about her experience working with the Reddit co-founder at the event. “What’s really cool about him is he just sits down and listens, right?” 

Gabby Thomas continued, “He didn’t know anything about track, and now he’s using track lingo when he’s talking about, you know, our sport in the races, which I really appreciate.” Ohanian might not have spoken track initially. But after witnessing the true essence of the sport at the U.S. Olympic Trials, he was reminded of his wife, Serena Williams’ intense matches. “You see it. I mean, he really doubled the prize money of the Diamond League, and that’s fantastic because he saw what we deserve, and he doesn’t want to stop there,” the Olympian exclaimed. 

After his experience at the trials, Ohanian realized that athletes need money to compete professionally. The Diamond League offered their first-place winners $30,000, second-place would take home $12,000, and third-place received $7,000. Fourth-place to eighth-place would receive $4,000, $1,250, $1,000, $750, and $500. However, this didn’t seem like it was enough, according to Ohanian. Athlos NYC promises to eradicate this situation with a $500,000 prize fund. How does that work?

The winners will walk away with a massive $60,000. But the rest of the athletes get to reap the benefits of their efforts too! The second- to sixth-place finishers receive anywhere between $25,000 and $2,500. But apart from the monetary benefit, what has it been like for Gabby Thomas? The sprinter reiterated, “We don’t want to stop there, and so this is definitely a very unique experience for all of us.” 

The 27-year-old also highlights her unique experience being associated with the meet. “We’ve been included in this decision-making for every step of the way. I mean, Alexis called me before this was even a possibility of a thought, you know. We didn’t know where the location was going to be, who was going to be running, what event we’re going to be running.” But none of this could stop them from bringing their vision to life! What can fans look forward to from the event? 

Gabby Thomas reiterates the importance of Athlos NYC

Athlos NYC officially commences on September 26. However, the official Instagram page hyped their fans up with a little sneak peek on September 23. They shared a video of the sprinter preparing for her final race this season. “My muscles know what to do, my mind knows what to do,” she stated. However, she confessed how Paris changed her life. “Being deemed one of the fastest women in the planet is very surreal.” Walking away with 3 Olympic gold medals, she didn’t think her stint would shine the spotlight on her. 

Surprised, Gabby Thomas exclaims, “It’s certainly not something I ever imagined for myself.” But how does the track event play a part in changing the track circuit? “Athlos definitely feels like an event where we, as female athletes, have some ownership. We have some say.” The Olympian highlighted this in her interview with CITIUS MAG too. “Yeah, I mean, that’s not something you see in sports every day, right?” 

Every athlete plays a big part in Athlos NYC—big or small. This goes to show that we’re in for a one-of-a-kind experience. While she bears the tag of an Olympic champion, the 26-year-old will still need some time to get used to it. But for now, she wants to focus on Athlos and believes that this track event will give way to a new era for women’s sports. Apart from a massive cash prize, the event has something else in mind for all its athletes. 

Athlos NYC will be doing something that no event has ever done before. Apart from the $60,000, each winner gets to take home 10% of the event’s revenue. What does this include? The website lists broadcast and commercial sponsorship under this. However, they’re not the only ones who get something out of this. The event’s primary goal is to help increase visibility for the sport, and they’ve done just that by making it accessible to everyone. Fans can watch Athlos NYC X, YouTube, DAZN, and ESPN. Are you excited to be a part of a new era for track and field?