NEW YORK: Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas of the United States was dominated by Paris bronze medallist Brittany Brown on Thursday in a rematch at the new all-women Athlos athletics meeting in New York.
Brown surged past Thomas in the final meters to win in 22.18sec, with Thomas settling for second in 22.21.
Thomas was one of four Paris Olympics gold medallists to take part in the meeting, which was organized by entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, the husband of retired US tennis great Serena Williams.
The event features 36 women competing in six events with the winners taking home $60,000 each from a total purse of $663,000.
That doubles the prize money awarded in the Diamond League final two weeks ago.
Puerto Rico’s 2021 Olympic gold medallist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn clocked 12.36sec to win the 100m hurdles ahead of Alaysha Johnson (12.43) and Paris gold medallist Masai Russell (12.44).
Dominican Marileidy Paulino won the 400m in 49.59sec, Kenyan Faith Kipyegon won the 1500m in 4min 04.79sec and Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith won the 100m in 10.98sec.
Olympic champ Thomas beaten in new athletics meeting for women
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Olympic champ Thomas beaten in new athletics meeting for women
Sabalenka says Kyrgios match will not harm women’s tennis reputation
- Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28
- “I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC
LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka says she is not concerned that losing to Nick Kyrgios in this month’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ exhibition could damage the reputation of women’s tennis.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sabalenka will play the Australian, ranked 672 in the world, on December 28.
“I am not putting myself at any risk,” the 27-year-old Belarusian told the BBC. “We’re there to have fun and bring great tennis. Whoever wins, wins.
“It’s so obvious that the man is biologically stronger than the woman, but it’s not about that. This event is only going to help bring women’s tennis to a higher level.”
Some have criticized the event which has echoes of the original 1973 Battle of the Sexes match in which women’s trailblazer Billie Jean King was challenged by 55-year-old former Grand Slam winner Bobby Riggs who claimed women’s tennis was far inferior to men’s.
King won the match in Houston with the contest attracting a reported 90 million television viewers.
Unlike Riggs, Kyrgios is still an active Tour player although he played only five professional matches in 2025 because of the injuries that have dogged his career.
“It’s not going to be an easy match for Nick,” Sabalenka said. “I’m going to be there competing and showing women are strong, powerful and good entertainment.
“He’s in a lose-lose situation. I’m in a win-win situation.”
Kyrgios, the former world number 13, said in September that women can’t return men’s serves and that he would beat Sabalenka without having to try 100 percent.
However, he said the match would increase respect between the men’s and women’s Tours.
“So I can’t do anything other than hope me and Aryna play our best tennis and, at the end of the day, whoever wins, that our handshake afterwards solidifies the union between males and females in the tennis world,” he said.
