Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has been on a tear this season, claiming the gold medal and etching her name in history with a phenomenal 100m finish in 10.61 seconds at the Tokyo Championships. Not only did she set a new championship record, but she also became the fourth-fastest woman ever after Florence Griffith‑Joyner, Elaine Thompson, and Shelly-Ann Fraser‑Pryce. Yet, triumph came with a cost; exhaustion has officially sidelined her from the upcoming Athlos NYC, and with it, a golden opportunity slips through her fingers.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the right one,” said the 100m World Champion, sharing her thoughts on participating in Athlos NYC. She didn’t stop there, taking to social media, she declared, “I’m Backkkkkkk.” For the curious fans scrolling the internet, she even dropped a link to her Twitch profile, where she currently has just 317 followers. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden hyped the move further on Instagram, posting a photo of herself in RGB headphones with the caption, “YK WHAT TIME IT ISSS.”

Exhausted, she made the difficult decision to withdraw from the event, but in doing so, she missed the rare opportunity to be crowned by none other than tennis legend Serena Williams herself. That’s right, every winner of the event will be personally crowned by Serena Williams! Uploading a video on their timeline, Athlos X hande commented, “No one recognizes greatness like the Greatest of All Time 🐐 ATHLOS NYC winners will get crowned in Tiffany by the one-and-only @serenawilliams.”

But that’s not all she’ll miss. This year’s Athlos is a bonanza for athletes, boasting a record-breaking prize purse of $663,000, the largest ever for a women-only track and field event. To put it in perspective, Diamond League finale winners pocket $30,000, while Athlos winners walk away with a whopping $60,000. Second and third place aren’t left behind either, earning $25,000 and $10,000, respectively. Well, that’s not all, Alexis Ohanian, husband of Serena,  keeps revealing new updates about the event day by day, and the latest news is about Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will receive her final tribute at Athlos after Melissa Jefferson-Wooden pulled out

As co-founder of Athlos, Alexis Ohanian knows the weight of creating a global spectacle, and what better way to celebrate an all-women’s event than by honoring a legend? This week, he paid tribute to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who gracefully passed the baton to Jamaica’s rising stars in her final race. Taking to X, Ohanian teased, “Another surprise on deck! Honoring the one and only.”

Athlos confirmed that the former 10-time world champion will be there at the Ichan stadium.”Legends don’t just break records—they inspire generations. This Friday at Icahn Stadium, ATHLOS salutes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, celebrating a lifetime of speed, excellence, and legacy.” A striking poster revealed the Jamaican icon would attend as a guest of honor, while Ohanian added on Instagram, “🙌 Had to pay tribute to the incredible SAFP.”

As we approach the final track and field event of the year, who do you think will be crowned by Serena Williams and take home the ultimate prize? Share your thoughts in the comments below!