Where concrete met courage and city lights met grace, a new era of queens rose – not born of lineage, but of legacy, and history being made…
What happened on October 9, 2025, had never happened before. Times Square had never hosted a runway like this. The world’s most recognizable intersection transformed into a theater of flight, a stage where women’s power wasn’t asked to perform; it was invited to reign.
The 2025 Athlos NYC Showcase, curated by Alexis Ohanian, the founder of Athlos and co-founder of Reddit, was created with a bold vision for women’s sport, not as another meet but as a movement. It placed femininity, force, and freedom at the very center of the world’s attention.
I remember watching Olympic gold medalist and world champion Tara Davis-Woodhall step onto the runway with her signature smile and vibrant energy found only in those who have turned doubt into art. On that cool October night, she didn’t just jump 6.81 meters; she leapt into legacy. Her takeoff was poetry, her landing an exclamation mark. Jazmin Sawyers followed, fierce, composed, and magnetic, launching 6.77 meters through the New York wind, her rhythm carrying both elegance and conviction. Quanesha Burks, whose energy lit up the crowd, soared 6.38 meters, sealing her place among the top three and earning her spot in the final.
Many may downplay field events, but these women deserve every flower. Jasmine Moore, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in the long jump and triple jump, brought quiet strength with her 6.33-meter leap. Claire Bryant, the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Champion, jumped 6.16 meters with fearless poise. Monae’ Nichols, an Olympic finalist and 2024 World Indoor silver medalist, completed the circle with 6.12 meters, her effort adding balance, promise, and heart to the night’s brilliance.
The next day, the lights shifted from city streets to Icahn Stadium, where four of the six women carried that same fire into the final. Tara Davis-Woodhall turned momentum into mastery, soaring 7.13 meters to claim the title and confirm what the world already felt the night before. Jasmine Moore, composed and graceful, secured second with 6.64 meters. Jazmin Sawyers followed in third with 6.22 meters, her spirit radiant even in the shadow of the crown. Quanesha Burks finished strong at 6.15 meters, proving again that resilience is its own kind of victory.
This wasn’t just about who jumped the farthest; it was about what they were jumping over, whether it was centuries of underexposure, budgets that never matched their brilliance, or headlines that too often forgot their names. Athlos NYC 2025 didn’t just rewrite history; it rewired the narrative. It asked the world to look again and this time to truly see.
These women turned a city known for noise into a sanctuary of silence, the kind that happens when something historic unfolds before your eyes. They didn’t just compete; they carved their names into the rhythm of a city that finally stood still long enough to witness what excellence looks like when women own the spotlight.
And as the lights of Times Square faded into memory, one truth remained. This wasn’t just a meet; it was a message. Power wears many faces, but that night, it wore spikes, grace, and a crown made of courage.
Written by Eilika Lane | Athlete • Witness • Storyteller
