"Unlike anything we have seen in track before" - Gabby Thomas weighs in on competing in Alexis Ohanian's transformational track meet 'Athlos'

Gabby Thomas recently appreciated Alexis Ohanian's Athlos NYC as a significant step towards fostering growth in women's sports. The successful debut edition of the Athlos NYC was scheduled for September 26, 2024, following the prestigious 2024 Paris Olympics.

The Athlos NYC featured six events with 6 competitors vying in each event, including 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 110m hurdles, 800m, and 1500m. The women's only event offered a staggering amount in prize money with the winner collecting $60,000 and the first and the second runner-up gathering $25,000 and $10,000, respectively.

The Athlos NYC held at the Icahn Stadium in NYC, showered "princess treatment" on the athletes, including first-class flights, rides from the airport, car pickups, and several other goodies. The winners received a Tiffany and Co. manufactured silver crown worth $25,000 along with the lucrative prize award.

Ohanian announced the Athlos NYC in April along with Thomas, who was actively involved in the decision-making team of the event. In a recent interview with Set The Pace, when asked about her initiative to promote women's sports, Thomas mentioned Athlos NYC, referring to it as a groundbreaking experience.

"Athlos was such an exciting track event, especially for us competing," Thomas said. "It was unlike anything we have seen in track before just in terms of the whole event, the spectacle, how much fun it was. The experience was just so different and it was the largest price purse in women's track and field history."

She added:

"That was a really exciting thing to be a part of and to spearhead and to be in the decision room and making those calls and sharing our experience of what we would like to see differently."

Gabby Thomas gets surpassed by Brittany Brown at the Athlos NYC after dominating the same event at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Brittany Brown and Gabby Thomas of the United States compete in the 200m during Athlos NYC at Icahn Stadium on September 26, 2024, in New York City. (Photo Getty Images)

Gabby Thomas dominated the women's 200m event at the 2024 Paris Games after clocking a stunning time of 21.38 seconds to defeat the 100m Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who posted 22.08 seconds.

Thomas stepped on the Icahn Stadium as the fan favorite. However, she was surpassed by the Olympic bronze medalist Brittany Brown, who clocked 22.20, following Thomas and Alfred.

At the Athlos NYC, Brown led the event with 22.18 seconds, leaving behind the Olympic champion, who recorded 22.21 seconds to settle in second place.