Gabby Thomas Narrowly Defeated at Record-Breaking Athlos NYC Event
Gabby Thomas loses by 0.03 seconds to Brittany Brown at Athlos NYC, an event setting new prize benchmarks for women’s track athletes.
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American 200m Olympic champion Gabby Thomas faced a narrow defeat to Brittany Brown at the inaugural Athlos NYC, where top women’s track athletes competed for record-setting prizes. Thomas, who secured three gold medals at Paris 2024, finished the race in 22.21 seconds but was overtaken by Olympic bronze medallist Brown, who crossed the finish line in 22.18 seconds.
The event also saw notable athletes like Kenyan 1500m world record holder Faith Kipyegon and Olympic 400m champion Marileidy Paulino among the winners, each receiving $60,000 (£44,900) in prize money. The women ‘s-only track invitational offered an overall prize pool of $500,000 (£374,000), setting a new benchmark for women’s track competitions. This event was spearheaded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, who is also the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams.
Record-Breaking Prizes for Women in Track
“I feel like this sport is really changing and growing—I’m excited to be a part of it,” Brown shared after her win. In comparison, the Diamond League offers significantly lower prizes, with $15,000 (£11,200) for first place at each of its 15 series meetings, and $30,000 (£22,400) for the final.
A total of 36 athletes competed at the Icahn Stadium, with races spanning the 100m, 200m, 400m, 100m hurdles, 800m, and 1500m categories. Winners were also awarded crowns by New York jewelers Tiffany & Co. Ohanian revealed his motivation behind the record-setting prize pool, saying, “I asked these women, ‘What is your top prize at the end of a season for winning?’ They said $30,000. I said, ‘Great, I’m going to double it for one single race.'”
Top Performances and Result
Marie Josee Ta Lou-Smith of the Ivory Coast claimed the 100m title with a time of 10.98 seconds, while Great Britain’s Daryll Neita placed fourth in 11.29 seconds. In the 1500m, Great Britain’s Katie Snowden finished sixth, clocking in at four minutes 07.57 seconds. The race was won by Olympic and world champion Faith Kipyegon, who completed it in 4:04.79, followed closely by Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji.
Marileidy Paulino secured the 400m title with an impressive 49.59 seconds, and Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camacho-Quinn triumphed in the 100m hurdles, clocking 12.36 seconds. In the 800m race, Olympic silver medallist Tsige Duguma beat Kenya’s world champion Mary Moraa, winning in 1:57.43.
Continued Investment in Women’s Sports
The Athlos NYC event highlights the growing investment in women’s athletics, especially with World Athletics paying Olympic champions for the first time at the Paris Games. Further advancements in the sport are expected, with American track legend Michael Johnson announcing the launch of the Grand Slam Track League in 2025, offering $12.6 million in total prize money. The Diamond League has also confirmed a prize increase for the 2025 season.
Gabby Thomas, who added gold medals in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay events to her 200m victory in Paris, remarked, “This is bigger than myself and this race. It’s about advancing women’s sports and what this event represents for track and field.”
Ohanian, who also invested in the women’s soccer team Angel City FC, emphasized the growing appeal of women’s sports, saying, “Women athletes, particularly in track, are incredibly compelling. I have a ‘Spidey sense’ for finding communities with high fan engagement, and women’s sports undoubtedly have that.”
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