Alex Ohanion had a dream.
Alex Ohanion, founding father of Reddit, put his help behind an all ladies’s monitor meet, targeted on six occasions, utilizing skilled leisure and sports activities practices and elevating the game.
Ohanion did it.
Thirty six athletes, thirty of them Olympic medalists, competed on the Icahn Stadium at Randall’s Island on September 26, 2024.
That is David Monti’s story on the meet!
We use Race Outcomes Weekly tales with permission of the editors.
WOMEN REAP BIG PRIZES AT FIRST ATHLOS MEETING IN NEW YORK CITY
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2024 Race Outcomes Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission.
NEW YORK (26-Sep) — Fifty-two years after the world’s first-ever all-women’s highway race was held on this metropolis, the primary all-women’s skilled athletics assembly was held at Icahn Stadium tonight. Athlos NYC, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Label assembly, featured 35 athletes operating six races over a two-hour interval, and a whopping $663,000 prize cash purse. The meet concluded with a live performance by rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
“I like what they’re doing right here,” mentioned New Zealander Zoe Hobbs who completed fifth within the 100m and earned $5,000. “It’s good for monitor and area, bringing some hype and power. It’s the ambiance we want.”
The ambiance was actually to the liking of Kenya’s Religion Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion. She began her worldwide season late, in July on the Paris Diamond League, and mentioned she was nonetheless feeling recent for tonight’s race. After pacemaker Emily Richards stepped off the monitor after 800 meters, Kipyegon took the lead and ran 65.5 seconds for the penultimate lap. She was shadowed carefully by Ethiopian stars Diribe Welteji and Gudaf Tsegay, and Kenya’s Susan Ejore-Sanders. Kipyegon saved her legs for the ultimate circuit, blasting away within the final 150 meters to shut in 58.45 seconds. Her time of 4:04.79 was by far her slowest 1500 of the season, however tonight’s race was her most profitable. She earned $60,000.
“To say the reality I used to be not drained,” Kipyegon informed a gaggle of reporters whereas sporting the silver Tiffany & Co. crown which was offered to every winner. “It was good to get pleasure from what was taking place right now. It was actually a novel race with some wonderful girls.” She continued: “It was my plan to complete the season in a pleasant approach.”
Welteji completed second in 4:05.58, and Ejore-Sanders obtained third in 4:06.25. Ejore-Sanders, who ran for the College of Oregon throughout her NCAA profession, additionally completed third on the New Stability Fifth Avenue Mile right here on September 8.
“It was similar to all-out the final 150 meters,” mentioned the smiling Ejore-Sanders, who received $10,000. “It’s unbelievable. I’m so pleased with my efficiency right now.”
The 800m was a a lot sooner race, regardless of the absence of a pacemaker. Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma, the reigning world 800m indoor champion, took the race out laborious in 58.13 for the primary 400 meters. Kenya’s Mary Moraa, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin, and the USA’s Addy Wiley stayed shut. Duguma nonetheless led at 600 meters, and held the within lane out of the ultimate bend. Moraa, the 2023 world champion, tried to catch Duguma within the homestretch, however fell brief. Duguma obtained the win in a stadium file 1:57.43. Moraa was second (1:58.05), Goule-Toppin third (1:58.63), and Wiley fourth (1:58.93).
“It’s nice; I’m very completely satisfied,” Duguma informed reporters with the assistance of a translator. She was notably jazzed by the $60,000 paycheck. “It’s sudden,” she mentioned. She continued: “It’s some huge cash for me, for my household, and the game. I can use it.”
Within the 4 dash occasions, Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn received the 100m hurdles (12.36), Côte d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou received the 100m (10.98), Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino received the 400m (49.59), and Brittany Brown received the 200m (22.18). Brown was the one athlete who doubled tonight, and pocketed whole prize cash of $85,000: $60,000 for profitable the 200m and $25,000 for taking second within the 100m.
Throughout the board athletes heaped reward on the assembly organizers, who had been led by know-how entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian who bankrolled the meet.
“It’s wonderful,” mentioned Britain’s Katie Snowden who completed sixth within the 1500m. “I imply, the way in which they put all of it collectively, the approaching out with the music and the introductions it was actually enjoyable. Particularly the tip of the season, it was actually a good way to complete.”
