Track and field has always had its icons. But rarely have they been this powerful off the track. Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, and Tara Davis-Woodhall are not just running the race anymore. They’re shaping it. In a bold, game-changing move, the trio of Olympic medalists has stepped into new roles. Not just as athletes, but as owner-advisors of ATHLOS, the rising all-women’s track league. This isn’t just about competition; it’s about control, equity, and rewriting what it means to be a professional track star.

The announcement marks a turning point for ATHLOS, the women-only league founded by Alexis Ohanian to address the financial imbalance in professional sports. Until now, the platform was best known for hosting a single meet, headlined last year by Gabby Thomas. But ATHLOS is expanding. In 2026, it will evolve into a full-fledged, multi-city, team-based league. To guide that transformation, ATHLOS has brought in the very faces redefining the sport.

Richardson, Thomas, and Davis-Woodhall not only compete but also help lead the league from the inside out. These women aren’t just voices. They’re visionaries. “Gabby, Sha’Carri, and Tara represent a new generation of athletes who have put this sport on their shoulders and deserve to be compensated for being the standard-bearers,” Ohanian said in a statement. Their ownership isn’t ceremonial. It’s central.

As founding owner-advisors, they’re being entrusted with the very architecture of the league: shaping team identities, crafting competition formats, and advocating for athlete-first policies. ATHLOS’ mission is to build something for the athletes by the athletes. And no one embodies that vision better than these three. While all three are committed to participating in the October 10th meet at Icahn Stadium in New York, or helping design the next evolution of the league.

The full force of their involvement will be felt in 2026. After that, the league’s new structure will roll out after the World Athletics season wraps and feature multiple meets across various cities. The aim is clear: to create a professional experience that is modern and puts athletes, especially women, at the center. With the calendar already packed with Diamond League stops, Grand Slam, and World Athletics events, carving out a lane for a new series won’t be easy. 

But Richardson and her co-founders are betting big that their blueprint will stand out. And endure. That confidence is backed by more than star power. ATHLOS has already proven it can deliver elite action and serious cash. Last year, the event paid out $663,000 in prize money. With $60,000 going to each event winner. This year’s edition is expanding, now including the long jump, with Tara Davis-Woodhall and Jasmine Moore confirmed to compete. 

Other stars like Masai Russell, Marileidy Paulino, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and Brittany Brown are also on the roster. And while Richardson’s participation in this year’s event hasn’t been confirmed yet, ATHLOS made it clear: her focus, for now, is league-building. She’s not just running anymore. She’s constructing the track.

With three of the sport’s most dynamic personalities now in leadership, ATHLOS is positioning itself not just as a meet, but as a movement. And this time, the women aren’t just in the race. They own it. Meanwhile, trying to focus on their performance on the track, the likes of Richardson and Gabby Thomas will be eager to overturn their previous losses. 

Gabby Thomas fell short in the 200m thriller as Brittany Brown stole the spotlight

Under the glaring New York lights at the all-women Athlos meeting, Olympic champion Gabby Thomas found herself upstaged dramatically. Fresh off her golden run in Paris, Thomas stepped onto the track for the 200m showdown. But it was Paris bronze medalist Brittany Brown who made the final meters her own. In a finish that stunned the crowd, Brown surged ahead to claim victory in 22.18 seconds, edging out Thomas, who clocked 22.21.

Thomas, known for her closing speed and poise under pressure, couldn’t hold off Brown’s relentless push down the stretch. The defeat was made more striking by the stakes of the meet: Athlos NYC was not only historic in its all-women format but also boasted a massive $663,000 prize pool, doubling the Diamond League final’s purse.

Gabby, though favored after her Olympic triumph, looked physically taxed, unsurprising given the whirlwind of her recent successes and tight competition schedule. “Honestly, it’s one of the biggest challenges I think I’ve ever had to face,” she admitted, pointing to the toll of choosing the track over rest. But it wasn’t just Thomas who faced a setback.

Sha’Carri Richardson, in her season opener, finished fourth in the 100m, falling short of expectations. The reigning Olympic champion couldn’t find her usual spark, reminding everyone that even the best need time to recalibrate. As members of the newly launched Athlos series, both Thomas and Richardson now face a different kind of pressure. One that goes beyond medals and podiums.

With the spotlight fixed firmly on them, they’ll be eager to reset, regroup, and raise their game in the meets to come.