Track and field is on the brink of a major shift, and at the center of it all is Alexis Ohanian’s bold vision. What began as a platform to elevate women in the sport is now evolving into something far bigger, one that could reshape opportunities for male athletes, too. And Ohanian’s latest message suggests that change might be closer than anyone expects.

Not too long ago, Ohanian took to X and shared the massive success of Athlos NYC 2025. He shared visuals of the highlights from the event and announced that this year, Athlos had more than 3.75 million viewers. Last year, according to several sources, around 3 million people tuned in to watch the inaugural event. That’s a massive improvement. But, as Ohanian thanked everyone for all the support, a fan came forward with a question: “Did you confirm male racers? Got to get these pros out of working from warehouses and walmart.” 

Well, Ohanian’s focus with Athlos was to bring more attention to the female athletes. Hence, this one-of-a-kind invitational had no spot for male athletes to compete in, yet. Even the memento, not a typical medal, but a crown made by Tiffany & Co., was specifically designed to gracefully sit on a woman’s head. So, does the Reddit co-founder have a plan to bring in the men of track and field? He replied, “No men yet. The women draw a much bigger follower count online, more brand dollars, etc. so we started there.” However, there was a hint of possibility in his words. He left it all hanging with “But in due time.”

Alexis Ohanian has begun calling Athlos the F1 of track and field. The athletes like Brittany Brown and Masai Russell have already demonstrated their speed. And if humans were compared to F1 cars, these athletes would definitely rock the track. But Ohanian has brought in F1 like structure into the world of track and field for another reason. And that’s reflected in his plan for 2026.

What has Alexis Ohanian planned for the 2026 Athlos?

In a video that he shared on X, Ohanian said, “Our plan for next year, we’ve announced, it’ll be a team-based track and field league. We’re gonna have multiple meets in major cities. Think of it like the Formula 1 of track and field.” He reflected on how automotive companies like Mercedes and Ferrari have their own cars in the F1 races. These companies have shiploads of money that they spend on marketing. And Ohanian plans to use that in Athlos. 

Just like the teams made by car companies, Ohanian wants apparel companies to join his cause and create teams at Athlos. He said, “You could think of some great apparel brands that wanna be associated with speed and excellence. So imagine those as teams.” This time, Athlos brought in top-viewed athletes in their respective sports. And that has helped Athlos rise in viewership. 

But his aim has also shifted to ”make this sport a top-flight sport year-round.” And who knows, if that succeeds, we might actually see stars like Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek running at Athlos, donning the apparel that their teams prepared. After all, Lyles has already stood in support of the cause. And if opportunity comes, he wouldn’t shy away from jumping upon it.