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Alexis Ohanian has explained how he plans to expand the Athlos Women's track meet following the success of the inagural event.
Reddit co-founder and Serena Williams' husband, Alexis Ohanian, has revealed his future ambitions for the Athlos Women’s Only Track Meet following the successful debut event in New York last Thursday.
Ohanian, through his venture fund Seven Seven Six, hosted the groundbreaking all-women's competition that saw competitors collectively earn over $500,000 in prize money, with first-place finishers awarded Tiffany crowns instead of traditional medals or trophies, along with a $60,000 cash prize—double the typical earnings for male or female track athletes.
Ohanian’s involvement in women’s sports is well-established, as he is also a founding investor and owner of Angel City FC, the soccer team that recently became the world's most valuable women’s sports franchise following a $250 million deal led by Disney’s Bob Iger and Willow Bay.
His latest venture into women’s track and field through the Athlos meet was well-received by athletes, but Ohanian acknowledges there is more to accomplish, especially in integrating field events like the hammer throw, long jump, and pole vault.
Reflecting on his experience at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, Ohanian admitted to being torn over which events to watch when stars like Tara Davis-Woodhall competed in the triple jump while long-distance races occurred simultaneously.
This experience has inspired him to envision a more streamlined event format where fans can better appreciate individual performances across all disciplines.
“I had never been to a track meet before, and then I went to my first one in Eugene. I saw the Olympic Qualifiers, and that was incredible,” Ohanian shared during a guest appearance on Justin Gatlin’s Ready Set Go podcast.
“I was watching Tara Davis-Woodhall, who is so dynamic, and she had her section of the stadium gassed up for one of her jumps, but at the same time, there was a race happening. As a first-timer, I was torn between two storylines that I knew I should be paying attention to.”
Ohanian emphasised that while the US Olympic Trials have a different focus—selecting athletes for the Olympics—the Athlos meet aims to reimagine the experience for both fans and athletes by giving the competitors the platform they deserve.
“Their ‘why’ is different from ours. We get to curate and say much more specifically, ‘How do we create the best platform for these individual athletes because they are the stars?’”
Acknowledging that the inaugural Athlos event is just the beginning, Ohanian expressed excitement about expanding the meet in future phases.
“I feel like we're onto something, but obviously there's still a lot more to do. We’re in phase one, but I’m already thinking about how phase two will go,” he explained. “I’m at a point in my career where I only want to spend my time doing exceptional, big things with great people. So the plan from the start with Athlos was more than just one event—we’re trying to underpromise and overdeliver.”
The Athlos women’s-only track meet has garnered praise from top athletes such as Gabby Thomas, Brittany Brown, Noah Lyles, Aaron Brown, and Justin Gatlin. As a silver-certified event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, it also boasted the highest prize money ever awarded at a track event, marking a significant step forward for women’s athletics.
Ohanian’s vision for the future promises more opportunities for female athletes, particularly those in field events, as he seeks to expand the Athlos meet into an even more inclusive and prestigious platform for showcasing athletic talent.
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