Olympics 400m champion Marileidy Paulino and silver medallist Salwa Eid Naser will light up the Athlos NYC after both of them signed up for the women’s-only event, renewing their rivalry.
The Nigerian-born Bahraini is the latest athlete to join the lucrative event set to take place in New York on September 26 with stars such as Faith Kipyegon, Gabby Thomas and Alexis Holmes set to feature.
Paulino and Eid Naser battled for gold at the Paris Olympics, with the former emerging victorious while the latter settled for silver, and the Bahraini will be looking to get her revenge.
There is more than revenge at the meet which has bumper cash rewards for its winners. Athlos NYC winners will pocket $60,000 (Ksh7.7 million) while second place will attract $25,000 (Ksh3.2 million), third place $10,000 (Ksh1.3 million), fourth place $8,000 (Ksh1 million), fifth place fetching $5,000 (Ksh645,598) as sixth attracts a prize of $2,500 (Ksh322,500).
Paulino has gotten the better of Eid Naser this season on a number of occasions, beating her at the Paris Diamond League in July, when she finished third and in Silesia last month, where the Bahraini came in second. At the Los Angles Grand Prix, Paulino also claimed victory as Eid Naser finished ninth.
It sets up an epic battle at the Athlos event, which is being sponsored by tennis legend Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian.
The Athlos NYC will feature the 100m, 200m, 400m, 100m hurdles, 800m and 1500m with Ohanian betting big on women’s athletics which has risen to prominence in recent years.
