Despite being one of the most exciting Olympic sports, athletics is still not given enough credit by the general public, particularly in women’s sports. But Alexis Ohanian is determined to alter that perception, and Serena Williams, his wife, is really proud of him.
Ohanian introduced the Athlos project in April 2024 with the motto “Athlete First.” This competition, which was formerly known as the 776 Invitational, will only include female sprinters and provide an incredible prize fund, with $60,000 going to the winner of each gold medal.
Many elite athletes have already confirmed their participation, indicating that Ohanian’s initiatives are gaining traction. Olympic medallist Gabby Thomas, Lieke Klaver, Torrie Lewis, Alexis Holmes, Annie Tagoe, and Faith Kipyegon are a few of them.
Second place will receive $25,000, third place $10,000, fourth place $8,000, fifth place $5,000, and sixth place $2,500 in addition to the first place reward. Ohanian will give each contestant ten percent of the event’s earnings in an effort to further empower the competitors.
Serena Williams’ jubilant response
Serena shared her excitement on Twitter a little over a month before the star-studded event by retweeting a CBS piece on the competition.
“Have you heard about this @athlos?” Writer Williams wrote. “Again, @alexisohanian delivers. The largest backer and promoter of women’s sports is now giving women’s track its biggest boost.”
The winners will receive special Tiffany’s crowns in place of conventional medals, according to CBS Mornings, which carried the item. Ohanian told the journalists, “This is just the start,” making hints about how his ground-breaking effort will grow in the future.
Ohanian’s past performance
Even in highly popular sports like basketball and soccer, women’s sports frequently have an uphill battle to attract spectators and sponsors. Reddit co-founder and former CEO Ohanian is committed to changing that.
Ohanian, who is thought to be worth $70 million, has consistently supported women’s sports. In 2020, he formed Angel City FC, a National Women’s Soccer League team, in collaboration with a number of well-known female celebrities.
Following a short break to watch the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with Serena and their dog, Olympia, Ohanian is now fully focused on Athlos, an endeavor that has the potential to drastically alter the course of women’s sports around the world.
