Amusan joins Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas in search for first Athlos crown

LONDON  (Made In Africa Sport) – Nigerian sprint hurdler Tobi Amusan will make her Athlos debut in London on Friday as the women-only track and field series stages its first meeting outside the United States.

The former world record holder is among the leading names in the 100m hurdles field at StoneX Stadium, where she will face world indoor record holder Devynne Charlton, former world champion Danielle Williams, United States’ Alaysha Johnson and Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds.

Amusan will be competing for the first Athlos crown of her career, with the winner of each discipline receiving a Tiffany & Co.-designed crown and $65,000 in prize money.

Amusan faces reshaped hurdles field

The 100m hurdles field was initially expected to include Olympic champion and world record holder Masai Russell, but the American withdrew earlier this week after winning the Diamond League and the $150,000 World Ultimate Championship.

Her withdrawal leaves Amusan as one of the most experienced athletes in the field, with Charlton and Williams providing major competition in an event that has produced several of the sport’s leading names in recent seasons.

According to Punch Newspapers, Amusan was confirmed for Athlos in August and had initially been scheduled to compete in both the London and New York meetings before the latter was cancelled.

The Nigerian is one of only two African athletes on the London programme, alongside Kenya‘s Dorcus Ewoi, who will compete in the mile.

Ewoi will face Britain’s Georgia Hunter Bell and Kate Axford, Australia’s Jessica Hull, Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska and the United States’ Nikki Hiltz.

Richardson and Thomas make Athlos debuts

Amusan’s appearance is part of a wider gathering of some of the biggest names in women’s athletics, with American stars Sha’Carri Richardson and Gabby Thomas also seeking their first Athlos crowns.

Richardson, the former Olympic and world champion, will contest the 100m against Britain’s Daryll Neita and Imani Lansiquot, New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs, Canada’s Sade McCreath and American Anavia Battle.

Richardson is also an athlete-owner of Athlos, having been involved in the league’s ownership model alongside other participating athletes.

Thomas, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, will race in the 200m against Battle, Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo, Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke, United States’ Kayla White and the Netherlands‘ Lieke Klaver.

Adeleke, who was born in Dublin to Nigerian parents, adds another connection to Nigeria’s athletics heritage despite representing Ireland.

Paulino chases Athlos history

The 400m will feature two athletes with previous Athlos podium experience in Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser.

Paulino, the Dominican Republic’s Olympic champion, won the 400m at both the 2024 and 2025 editions and will attempt to become the first athlete to win the Athlos crown in every edition.

She faces Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce and Stacey Ann Williams, Norway’s Henriette Jæger, Poland’s Natalia Bukowiecka and Bahrain’s Nigerian-born Naser.

Naser finished third in the 400m at the 2024 Athlos meeting before improving to second in 2025, giving the former world champion another opportunity to challenge Paulino.

The 800m will have a strong home presence, with Britain’s Keely Hodgkinson leading the field against France’s Renelle Lamote, United States’ Raevyn Rogers and Juliette Whittaker, Switzerland’s Valentina Rosamilia and Ireland’s Sophie O’Sullivan.

The long jump field includes United States’ Claire Bryant, Monae’ Nichols and Alyssa Jones, Portugal’s Agate De Sousa, France’s Hilary Kpatcha and Ukraine’s Iryna Budzynska.

Athlos takes women’s athletics to London

Athlos was created by Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder and husband of 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams, and held its first meeting at Icahn Stadium in New York City on 26 September 2024.

The series was designed as a women-only professional track and field competition, combining elite athletics with entertainment and a different financial model for athletes.

The 2026 season was originally planned as a two-meeting series, with London on 18 September followed by New York on 2 October.

However, the New York meeting was cancelled, leaving London as the only Athlos meeting of the 2026 season.

The London event therefore becomes the first Athlos meeting to take place outside the United States and marks the beginning of the series’ international expansion.

Seven disciplines are contested: the 100m hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, mile and long jump.

The original 2026 plan included more than $2.1m in prize money across the two meetings, with athletes able to earn $65,000 for winning an individual event at each meeting.

The overall champion in each discipline was also due to receive a further $25,000 championship bonus and the Tiffany & Co. crown.

Athletes given equity in Athlos

One of the most distinctive elements of Athlos is its athlete ownership model.

Eligible participating athletes are offered equity in the league, giving them a financial stake in the organisation beyond individual prize money.

Ohanian told BBC Sport in May that the structure was intended to give athletes a partnership in the competition they were helping to build.

“The cash compensates their participation and success, and the equity recognises what we’re building together,” Ohanian said.

He added that the equity was intended to create a “real partnership” between the league and its athletes.

Thomas, who was involved with Ohanian during the development of the concept, also told BBC Sport that athletes having a share in the league was unusual in athletics.

The model is part of Ohanian’s wider ambition to develop Athlos into a global athletics property, with the founder previously describing his goal as creating a version of Formula 1 for track and field.

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