Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, once described the American tennis ace Coco Gauff as “a track star with a tennis racket in her hand.” Even Gauff herself admitted once, “The 400 is really my race,” after defeating Jasmine Paolini in the Western & Southern Open semifinals. Now, her natural speed and athleticism are turning heads once again, as Athlos NYC participants rally behind her for the next big track event. One of the event’s key fundraisers, Alexis Ohanian, is fully backing Gauff as well. But what did he say?

Gauff’s lightning-fast speed runs in the family. Her mother, Candi, was a track and field athlete at Florida State University, while her father, Corey, played college basketball at Georgia State. Growing up, Gauff dabbled in multiple sports, including basketball and track, before ultimately choosing tennis. However, she didn’t stop running! Known for her explosive speed on the 27-foot court, Coco has often reflected on her track and field background, even wondering how she might have fared, had she pursued it professionally as well. She has also expressed her interest in the idea of becoming an Olympian beyond just her professional tennis career.

“I don’t know if I would have been as good as I was in tennis in track, but I strongly feel like if I would have trained I could have been an Olympian. Track is the only sport I would say that in, just because I did do well in middle school, never training, I didn’t go to one track practice, and I won all my races except two, and both were against the same girl and she was in 8th grade,” she added while talking to the reporters after her 6-2, 6-2 win over ‘Wang Yafan’ at the National Bank Open in Toronto last year. And now, Coco’s electrifying speed on the court is catching the attention of track athletes, and Alexis is making moves to invite her to his next Athlos event.

Recently, the official X handle of Althos posted a video of Zoe Hobbs, the New Zealand track and field athlete, who stated that she would be ‘startled’ if she met the 20-year-old in person.

“Someone who would startle me if I came across them would be Coco Gauff. I’ve recently become quite a new fan of tennis, so I was fortunate to go to the ASB Classic in New Zealand. And I was just so impressed with the power that they have. To see them actually play in person is so different to seeing them on TV, and Coco, being one of the best in the world, I think it would be awesome to meet her,” Hobbs remarked. And, Alexis reposted it, adding, “I got a spot waiting for you in a trackside suite @CocoGauff 💪 ATHLOS 25.”

Athlos NYC, a groundbreaking ‘women-only’ track and field meet, took place on September 26, 2024, at Icahn Stadium in New York City. Funded by the co-founder of Reddit, Alexis Ohanian, the event was the first of its kind and featured an elite lineup of 36 top-tier athletes. Among the ‘star-studded’ participants were three-time Paris Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, along with Olympians Masai Russell, Faith Kipyegon, Alexis Holmes, Torrie Lewis, and more. Its massive prize pool turned heads, surpassing the payouts of other high-profile track meets and redefining the sport’s competitive landscape.

While Serena’s beloved is eager to secure a spot for the former US Open champion at his next event, his support for Coco Gauff isn’t new to the fans. 

Alexis sends his support for Coco Gauff

It’s not uncommon for athletes to be star-struck by their peers from the same or different sports. Take the example of World No. 2 Iga Swiatek, who was in ‘awe’ when she met 23-time GS champion Serena Williams at the 2024 US Open. But beyond tennis, American hurdler Alaysha Johnson also found herself star-struck by none other than Gauff earlier this year. And, in a unique crossover of sports, both athletes, from completely different arenas in the sporting genre, had one thing in common: the unwavering support of Alexis Ohanian!

The story dates back to January this year when 28-year-old track star Alaysha Johnson was recognized by Coco Gauff at the Olympics. What truly left Johnson star-struck was Gauff acknowledging her bold, self-made competition outfits. 

“They asked was I starstruck by anybody at the Olympics. Actually Coco Gauff. Aleia Hobbs wanted to take a picture with Coco Gauff, and she was super scared. So I went over and I’m like, “Miss Coco, can we get a picture? She said, “I know who you are. You’re the girl that wears the frozen glasses and makes her own uniform.” And I was like you know me?” the American hurdler added.

As their conversation went viral and was re-shared by Athlos NYC, Ohanian couldn’t help but chime in, adding his remarks to the moment. “Here for Coco Gauff and Alaysha Johnson,” he added. As the next Athlos event approaches, do you think Coco will make an appearance this year?