WOMEN REAP BIG PRIZES AT FIRST ATHLOS MEETING IN NEW YORK CITY

Alex Ohanion had a dream.

Alex Ohanion, founder of Reddit, put his support behind an all women’s track meet, focused on six events, using professional entertainment and sports practices and elevating the sport.

Ohanion did it.

Thirty six athletes, thirty of them Olympic medalists, competed at the Icahn Stadium at Randall’s Island on September 26, 2024. 

This is David Monti’s story on the meet! 

We use Race Results Weekly stories with permission of the editors. 

WOMEN REAP BIG PRIZES AT FIRST ATHLOS MEETING IN NEW YORK CITY
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved, used with permission. 

NEW YORK (26-Sep) — Fifty-two years after the world’s first-ever all-women’s road race was held in this city, the first all-women’s professional athletics meeting was held at Icahn Stadium tonight.  Athlos NYC, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Label meeting, featured 35 athletes running six races over a two-hour period, and a whopping $663,000 prize money purse.  The meet concluded with a concert by rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

“I love what they’re doing here,” said New Zealander Zoe Hobbs who finished fifth in the 100m and earned $5,000.  “It’s good for track and field, bringing some hype and energy.  It’s the atmosphere we need.”

The atmosphere was certainly to the liking of Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion.  She started her international season late, in July at the Paris Diamond League, and said she was still feeling fresh for tonight’s race.  After pacemaker Emily Richards stepped off the track after 800 meters, Kipyegon took the lead and ran 65.5 seconds for the penultimate lap.  She was shadowed closely by Ethiopian stars Diribe Welteji and Gudaf Tsegay, and Kenya’s Susan Ejore-Sanders.  Kipyegon saved her legs for the final circuit, blasting away in the last 150 meters to close in 58.45 seconds.  Her time of 4:04.79 was by far her slowest 1500 of the season, but tonight’s race was her most lucrative.  She earned $60,000.

“To say the truth I was not tired,” Kipyegon told a group of reporters while wearing the silver Tiffany & Co. crown which was presented to each winner.  “It was nice to enjoy what was happening today.  It was really a unique race with some amazing ladies.”  She continued: “It was my plan to finish the season in a nice way.”

Welteji finished…