How Teamwork Got Gabby Thomas to the Top of Women's Sports

When Alexis Ohanian and Gabby Thomas crossed paths, something magical happened. Ohanian, famous for founding Reddit, has always been a champion of women's sports. He saw a great opportunity to bring something new to the track and field scene. Ohanian's connection with Thomas didn't happen by chance. It was a soccer star from Gotham FC, Mitch Pur, who pointed him in the right direction. She mentioned that Thomas, who went to Harvard, would be a great fit. Ohanian trusted her judgment and picked up the phone. Thomas, of course, was excited about the new challenge. She joined Ohanian's project, Athlos NYC, which was completely run by women, a first in track and field. Ohanian wasn't just dipping his toes in women's sports; he had already set up a football team called Angel City FC way back in 2019. He saw the excitement and skill of soccer stars like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan and wanted to do more. Ohanian believed that investing in women's sports could open up new avenues and create big winners. Despite not winning at Athlos, Thomas earned a cool $60,000. Before the Olympic Games in Paris, Ohanian announced that if any Athlos athletes won a gold medal, they would each get $60,000. Thomas loved the idea and gave her best shot. She turned in a brilliant performance and won some great prize money. Ohanian was thrilled with Thomas's success and praised her ability to manage multiple projects at once. For Thomas, the event was about more than just the race; it was about pushing women's sports to new heights. With Athlos's blueprint in place, the future looks bright for women's sports.