“Felt Fired Up”: Alexis Ohanian Reflects on the Performances That Sparked His Interest in Women’s Track

The making of Athlos wasn’t an immediate process and took several surveys and interactions to make sure it turned into something favorable for both the athletes and the audience. While Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder and tennis GOAT Serena Williams’ husband, did not have prior exposure to the intricacies of how track and field sports worked, he had an idea.

Being a fan of women’s sports, it seemed like Ohanian had always been on the lookout for more opportunities to boost the same. Track and field presented itself in the form of a random occurrence, which then led to Athlos. In a candid chat with Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green, he opened up on what got him to truly appreciate the sport.

Speaking of how he witnessed track and field for the first time on social media, Ohanian recalled watching a video of young sprinter Ziyah Holman, who led her relay team to the top with her jaw-dropping pace. This intrigued him about how the sport worked and why it felt exciting.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Alexis Ohanian Sr. (@alexisohanian)

“That was 45 seconds of pure enjoyment. I felt kind of fired up by it. This is a cool sport!”

Following that, he began finding videos of Sha’Carri Richardson on his feed, which were full of passion and a unique attitude that established his drive to do something significant in the field. Add to that her tragic backstory about losing her mother and the failed drug test, and Alexis Ohanian wanted a redeeming moment.

“I can’t not pay attention to her. She’s got this amazing energy, she’s great on the track. She has this big personality…I have something invested. I want to see her be successful.”

That was enough motivation for the entrepreneur to start working on something big, particularly focusing on women’s sports. Female sprinters by then had already begun making a mark on the track, and with the Olympics highlighting several of them, the demand for an event like Athlos grew.

The event was a grand success, but not just because of the largest purse offered at any female-centric track meet. Athlos aimed to pick up the general public by being accessible to anyone who had an internet connection. Alexis Ohanian wanted people to be able to casually dip in and stay hooked.

In the end, both the audience and the athletes testified that the event surpassed their expectations. That’s what made Athlos one of the most successful track meets, which will most certainly see a second installment.