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ATHLOS Brings the Season’s Grand Finale to Life
New York City has never been short on spectacle, but this weekend, Times Square will trade its usual mix of tourists, street performers, and flashing billboards for something rarely seen in the heart of Manhattan. The sight of world-class athletes soaring through the air and sprinting down a track. ATHLOS NYC is back for its second year, promising not only fast times and big names, but a fresh vision for how track and field can capture the public’s imagination.
Created by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, ATHLOS is a women’s-only track and field meet built to celebrate performance, style, and star power in equal measure. Set across Times Square and Icahn Stadium, the event aims to turn athletics into a cultural experience. For the athletes, there’s plenty of incentive: a top prize of $60,000 and a $250,000 world record bonus. But for fans, it’s the rare chance to see Olympians and world champions compete under the city lights.
The action begins Thursday evening with the long jump qualifying round in Times Square, a scene that promises to stop pedestrians in their tracks. Olympic and world champion Tara Davis-Woodhall headlines the event, joined by Jasmine Moore, Quanesha Burks, Monae’ Nichols, Claire Bryant, and British star Jazmin Sawyers. Davis-Woodhall, a known showwoman, thrives on energy and spectacle, and there may be no better stage for her than the center of New York City. The top three jumpers will advance to Friday’s final at Icahn Stadium, where the stakes and crowd energy will rise even higher.
ATHLOS’s return also marks a key evolution for the meet. What began as an experiment in 2024 as a fusion of elite sport, entertainment, and fashion has quickly become a marquee stop at season’s end. With the World Championships only three weeks behind them, athletes arrive with enough recovery time to deliver a final showcase of form before the offseason.
Friday’s main program features 36 athletes across six track events: the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m hurdles, and mile. The lineup reads like a who’s who of women’s track and field. Faith Kipyegon, the two-time Olympic champion and global record holder in the 1500m, leads the mile field alongside Australia’s Jess Hull. The 800m features one of the sport’s most compelling rivalries, such as Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson and Australia’s Georgia Hunter Bell, two athletes who have traded wins on the biggest stages. The 400m brings together Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino and former world champion Salwa Eid Naser, while the sprints will showcase Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith, Amy Hunt, Brittany Brown, and hurdles star Masai Russell.
With such talent on display, ATHLOS hopes to deliver on the product they sampled last year, especially when the jury is out on newly formed leagues, with Grand Slam Track facing a lot of criticism after failing to pay the athletes. For Ohanian and his team, this is about creating moments that resonate where performance meets presentation and the athletes’ individuality shines. The event’s focus on women adds a layer of significance, positioning it as a platform that celebrates athleticism and empowerment equally.
British participation is strong this year, with Hodgkinson, Hunter Bell, Hunt, Amber Anning, and Sawyers all making the trip from Europe. Their presence reflects how quickly ATHLOS has gained international credibility, drawing stars from across continents for a meet that combines prize money, exposure, and atmosphere unlike any other.
The competition promises high-level performances, but also the kind of energy that track and field has long struggled to maintain after major championships. Whether it’s the rhythm of the hurdles, the tactical precision of the 800m, or the elegance of the mile, each event will unfold against a backdrop designed to make the sport feel vibrant and alive.
By blending elite sport with pop culture flair, complete with music, fan engagement, and New York’s unmistakable buzz, ATHLOS is showing how track can evolve without losing its core. For Davis-Woodhall, Kipyegon, Hodgkinson, and their peers, it’s a fitting final act to an eventful season. For fans and newcomers alike, it’s a chance to see what track and field can look like when performance meets showmanship under the city lights.
