The track and field season ended for the majority of athletes with last month’s world championships in Tokyo sending the year out with a resounding conclusion.
But Athlos is bringing one final flash of action before fall majors and road racing take over, and New York City is the setting this week. The Alexis Ohanian-backed showcase returns in an all-women event that takes some of its formula from last year and kicks things up a few notches with the long jump being added to a program that stretches two days on Thursday and Friday.
And the big names are back as Faith Kipyegon could take another shot at her own mile world record and Tara Davis-Woodhall gets a huge moment in the spotlight in Times Square.
But a loaded roster of sponsors and partners hop aboard with a couple like Toyota and Tiffany & Co. checking back in while a host of new names will all have a role in the hype of this week’s events.
Toyota
The world’s largest automaker was a sponsor of the inaugural Athlos showcase last year and returns as the most high-profile partner of the event. Expect to again see competitors cross the finish line and break the Toyota-branded tape along with an upcoming vehicle perched on the hill just outside of Icahn Stadium’s backstretch.
Tiffany & Co.
One distinct keepsake for event winners at last year’s event were the custom sterling silver crowns from Tiffany & Co. in place of medals or trophies. Six crowns were awarded in 2024 but seven are up for grabs this week now that the long jump has been added to the lineup.
According to Tiffany & Co. the original crowns took 10 weeks to design and 25 hours of labor to produce. The crowns weigh 1.5 pounds each and are 4.25 inches high and 7 inches in diameter.
CashApp
Payment portal CashApp joins the roster of Athlos sponsors for the first time and is being used in an innovative way specifically for the showcase. Ohanian felt that the three business days it took to compensate athletes last year was not sufficient, so CashApp was brought on board to speed things up.
“This year, CashApp is enabling immediate prize payments for all eligible athletes the moment results are confirmed,” he said.
CashApp is also $250,000 bonuses for any athlete who breaks a world record at Athlos, something that could be within reach for Faith Kipyegon in the mile or Tara Davis-Woodhall in the long jump.
Instacart
Ohanian invested in Instacart back when the online grocery and delivery service launched its seed funding round in 2012 and now the company is on board as an Athlos sponsor to be on call at a moment’s notice to bring the roster of athletes what they need — without having to leave the hotel.
Essentia
Essentia joins the event as the water provider of Athlos and viewers will likely see athletes drinking from the brand’s clear bottles during warmups, headed to the start line and after their races. Essentia is an alkaline water brand that has soared in popularity in recent years and touts the fact that its water is 99.9 percent pure with a 9.5pH or higher — something many brands can’t claim — is infused with small amounts of electrolytes and does not contain acidic ions.
ION television
Viewers can tune in and watch Athlos on ION, which inked a multi-year deal to air this week’s event and will also be the broadcast home of the upcoming Athlos League, which begins in 2026.
As part of ION’s coverage, a pre-show “Icons on ION,” will air before the competition begins.
“They’ve been tireless supporters of women’s sports for years, and we’re proud to have Athlos land alongside their WNBA and NWSL programming,” Ohanian said in a statement announcing the partnership.
Rodeo del las Aguas
Tequila brand Rodeo del las Aguas will be served exclusively in VIP lounges during the competition on Friday and the company has already cooked up a pair of Athlos-inspired cocktails. The “Jumping Jack” is a bold espresso shot from Davis-Woodhall while the “Staggered Start” is a grapefruit highball.
Halo
Halo is a hotel booking platform tailored specifically for the needs of athletes and their supporters. The company works with event organizers, teams and sports brands to go beyond the standard booking and hotel process to package the best lodging experience for its clients.
August
August is a nontoxic menstrual care brand that aims to ensure that the narrative around periods should be empowering. The products are completely biodegradable within 12 months, have no chemicals and the tampon applicators can be washed, making them recyclable.
Tower 28 Beauty
Tower 28 is a beauty products company that was born out of necessity after founder Amy Liu struggled to find makeup for her sensitive skin as she battled eczema. She set out to create products that were non-toxic, contained no sensitizing irritants, had calming ingredients and were also vegan while not being tested on animals.
The athletes
A number of athletes who competed at last month’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will be in New York to close their season at Athlos as Kipyegon and Davis-Woodhall will be joined by Jessica Hull, Brittany Brown (who won big at Athlos last year), Masai Russell, Marileidy Paulino, Alexis Holmes, Salwa Eid Naser, Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Hunter Bell, Mary Moraa, Nikki Hiltz, Gudaf Tsegay and Freweyni Hailu — and more.
