By David Monti, @d9monti | (c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved; used with permission
NEW YORK (26-Sep) — Fifty-two years after the world’s first-ever all-women’s road race was held in this city, the first all-women’s professional athletics meeting was held at Icahn Stadium tonight. Athlos NYC, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver Label meeting, featured 35 athletes running six races over a two-hour period, and a whopping $663,000 prize money purse. The meet concluded with a concert by rapper Megan Thee Stallion.
“I love what they’re doing here,” said New Zealander Zoe Hobbs who finished fifth in the 100m and earned $5,000. “It’s good for track and field, bringing some hype and energy. It’s the atmosphere we need.”
The atmosphere was certainly to the liking of Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, the three-time Olympic 1500m champion. She started her international season late, in July at the Paris Diamond League, and said she was still feeling fresh for tonight’s race. After pacemaker Emily Richards stepped off the track after 800 meters, Kipyegon took the lead and ran 65.5 seconds for the penultimate lap. She was shadowed closely by Ethiopian stars Diribe Welteji and Gudaf Tsegay, and Kenya’s Susan Ejore-Sanders. Kipyegon saved her legs for the final circuit, blasting away in the last 150 meters to close in 58.45 seconds. Her time of 4:04.79 was by far her slowest 1500 of the season, but tonight’s race was her most lucrative. She earned $60,000.
“To say the truth I was not tired,” Kipyegon told a group of reporters while wearing the silver Tiffany & Co. crown which was presented to each winner. “It was nice to enjoy what was happening today. It was really a unique race with some amazing ladies.” She continued: “It was my plan to finish the season in a nice way.”
Welteji finished second in 4:05.58, and Ejore-Sanders got third in 4:06.25. Ejore-Sanders, who ran for the University of Oregon during her NCAA career, also finished third at the New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile here on September 8.
“It was just like all-out the last 150 meters,” said the smiling Ejore-Sanders, who won $10,000. “It’s incredible. I’m so happy with my performance today.”
The 800m was a much faster race, despite the absence of a pacemaker. Ethiopia’s Tsige Duguma, the reigning world 800m indoor champion, took the race out hard in 58.13 for the first 400 meters. Kenya’s Mary Moraa, Jamaica’s Natoya Goule-Toppin, and the USA’s Addy Wiley stayed close. Duguma still led at 600 meters, and held the inside lane out of the final bend. Moraa, the 2023 world champion, tried to catch Duguma in the homestretch, but fell short. Duguma got the win in a stadium record 1:57.43. Moraa was second (1:58.05), Goule-Toppin third (1:58.63), and Wiley fourth (1:58.93).
“It’s great; I’m very happy,” Duguma told reporters with the help of a translator. She was particularly jazzed by the $60,000 paycheck. “It is unexpected,” she said. She continued: “It’s a lot of money for me, for my family, and the sport. I can use it.”
In the four sprint events, Puerto Rico’s Jasmine Camach-Quinn won the 110m hurdles (12.36), Côte d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou won the 100m (10.98), Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino won the 400m (49.59), and Brittany Brown won the 200m (22.18). Brown was the only athlete who doubled tonight, and pocketed total prize money of $85,000: $60,000 for winning the 200m and $25,000 for taking second in the 100m.
Across the board athletes heaped praise on the meeting organizers, who were led by technology entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian who bankrolled the meet.
“It’s amazing,” said Britain’s Katie Snowden who finished sixth in the 1500m. “I mean, the way they put it all together, the coming out with the music and the introductions it was really fun. Especially the end of the season, it was really a great way to finish.”
