Alexis Ohanian, founder of Athlos and husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, has vowed to reward Faith Kipyegon with a substantial amount of money if she sets a new world record.
Alexis Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams, has pledged over £70,000 to runner Faith Kipyegon as she prepares for her record-breaking bid to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes on Thursday.
Kenyan star Faith Kipyegon, 31, has established herself as a dominant force in middle-distance running, being the only woman to win 1,500m gold at three consecutive Olympics and securing three World Championship titles in the same event. She has also earned a world title and an Olympic silver in the 5,000m. In 2023, she set the women’s mile world record with a time of 4:07.64 at a Diamond League meet in Monaco. Now aiming to cut seven seconds off that record, Kipyegon stands to receive a substantial reward from Alexis Ohanian who holds a stake in Chelsea Women if she succeeds.
The attempt is set to happen at the Athlos meeting in Paris, a women-only competition launched last year by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Designed to elevate the status of women’s track and field beyond the Olympics, Ohanian who wed tennis icon Serena Williams in November 2017 revealed the significant sum Kipyegon could earn if she succeeds in making history.
He shared on X: “We’re putting \$100K (£73K) on @Kipyegon\_Faith to break the world record! And rest assured, we’ll transfer the money promptly just like we did for all our Athlos athletes who broke records at last year’s meet.
Athletics giant Nike has played a major role in Kipyegon’s training and will live stream her attempt from 6:15 pm on Thursday via their YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok channels from the Stade Charlety. However, even if the 31-year-old achieves her goal, the run may not be officially recognised as a world record due to the anticipated use of pacemakers and high-tech gear.
Nike has also created a documentary focused on Kipyegon ahead of her historic challenge. Titled Breaking4: Faith Kipyegon vs. the 4-Minute Mile, the docuseries is available on Prime Video, which will also stream her attempt to break the four-minute mile live.
Speaking to reporters earlier, she said: “I’m a three-time Olympic champion and have won World Championship titles. I asked myself, ‘What’s next? Why not think beyond the usual goals?’ With this attempt, I want to show women that it’s possible to dream big and turn those dreams into reality.
In May 1954, British athlete Roger Bannister made history as the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, while fellow Briton Diane Leather became the first woman to complete the mile in under five minutes that same month. The men’s mile world record, however, still stands at 3:43.13, set by Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj in 1999.
The first Athlos event was held last September, featuring 36 athletes competing in six disciplines: the 100m, 100m hurdles, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m. This year, the competition will expand to include the long jump as well.
Prize money at the event ranged from approximately £1,800 (\$2,500) for sixth place to £44,000 (\$60,000) for first place in each event. Kipyegon claimed victory in the 1500m last year and stands to earn significantly more if she achieves her ultimate objective this time.
Athlos isn’t Ohanian’s first venture into women’s sports; in 2020, he led a group of high-profile investors in backing the National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City, and more recently, in May, he acquired a 10 percent ownership stake in Chelsea Women.