Sports Channel Presents: Tara Davis-Woodhall’s Spectacular Leap That Transformed Times Square into an Athletic Arena
Beneath the neon billboards and thronging crowds of Manhattan's most iconic crossroads, a new wave in women’s athletics unfolded — and Sports Channel is here to bring it into sharp focus. The women-only Athlos meet staged a breathtaking long jump qualifier right in Times Square, turning an urban thoroughfare into a stadium runway. With Olympic champion Tara Davis-Woodhall grabbing the headlines, the event signals both ambition and reinvention in the track world. In this Sports Channel dispatch, we trace the drama, context, and implications of that leap — and why it might be a turning point.
A Runway in the City: Times Square’s Athletic Transformation
Times Square is no stranger to spectacle, but on this October evening, instead of billboards and street performers, the spotlight was on sand pits and takeoff boards. Sports Channel watched as the Athlos meet inserted the women’s long jump qualifier into the heart of Manhattan, an urban stage where athletes launched themselves under the city lights. What was originally a track-focused event in its 2024 debut now broadened its scope — and did so with flair.
The Athens-inspired name Athlos, rooted in the spirit of athletics, now comes alive in unexpected venues. For its second year, the meet chose to bring field events into the mix, turning the long jump into a public pageant. The move reflects an intention: to place women’s field disciplines front and center, not on the sidelines, as Sports Channel observed through the media coverage of the event’s design and reception.
Tara Davis-Woodhall: Heroine of the Moment
If any athlete could symbolize Athlos’ aspirations, it is Tara Davis-Woodhall. Sports Channel noted how she sealed the Times Square qualifier with a dramatic 6.81 m jump on her final attempt, clinching her spot in the finals at Icahn Stadium. Her leap wasn’t merely a mark — it was a statement: that the world’s best women in field events can carry the same narrative weight as sprinters.
Davis-Woodhall, already Olympic title–holder and a voice for field events, has long called for more visibility and support for jumping disciplines. Her presence in this cosmopolitan spectacle underscored how athlete advocacy can reshape programming. When she addressed the crowd, she reminded everyone of equality in exposure: “We deserve every second underneath the lights.” Sports Channel highlights that her words reflect Athlos’ ambitions — not just to entertain, but to rebalance which events get shine.
Qualifiers, Contenders & the Road to Icahn
The Times Square leg was only the qualifying stage. From it, three women would advance to Sunday’s jump final at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island. Among them:
Jazmin Sawyers (Britain), with 6.77 m
Quanesha Burks (USA), with 6.38 m
Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA), with 6.81 m
Sports Channel notes that Sawyers’ mark was just shy of Davis-Woodhall’s — reinforcing how tight and competitive the field has become. Burks, though further behind, secured her berth by showing consistency when others faltered.
By staging the qualifier in Times Square, Athlos turned a preliminary round into a spectacle, rather than a backstage affair. Sports Channel anticipates that the final at Icahn will build off that momentum — the narrative set, the eyes watching, the expectations high.
Reinventing the Meet: Field Events as Headliners
To understand the significance of this move, Sports Channel reviewed Athlos' evolution. Its debut in 2024 was purely track-based, featuring six running events only, held entirely at Icahn Stadium. Field events were absent. That track-only approach mirrored the simplified, TV-friendly model many new competitions adopt. But rising pressure — from athletes and public — challenged that approach.
This year, Athlos introduced the long jump, effectively breaking the mold. Sports Channel sees this as a statement: if women’s field events are to flourish, they must be given equal platform. Recent meets like the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championship trimmed field events, while others like Grand Slam Track dropped them entirely. Athlos, in contrast, reversed the trend — turning field into feature, not footnote.
In doing so, Athlos stakes a claim: visibility isn’t earned by default; it’s designed. And with public qualifiers in urban centers, they’re engineering stories that draw attention to athletes beyond the sprint lanes.
Business Strategy, Growth, and the Athlete-First Model
Behind the scenes, Sports Channel tracked Athlos’ business arc. Founder Alexis Ohanian and his team aim not just to host meets but to build a sustainable women-focused track and field brand. In its second year, Athlos is reportedly seeing revenue multiply three to four times over the 2024 edition. Sponsorship has expanded, with legacy backers like Toyota and Tiffany & Co. staying on, and new names like Cash App entering the fold. Cash App’s appeal: instant prize payouts, a gamer-friendly mechanism that aligns with Athlos’ modern ethos.
Meanwhile, other athletics startups have faltered. Grand Slam Track, headlined by Michael Johnson, shuttered its 2025 season early, under financial stress. Sports Channel sees Athlos’ survival and expansion as significant: in a fragile field of innovation, it’s one of the few plausible next-generation athletics brands. Their growth, though still young, offers a case study in how sport might reimagine itself.
Athlos is also shifting toward a team-based format in 2026. Sports Channel notes that advisors like Sha’Carri Richardson, Gabby Thomas, and Davis-Woodhall herself are now formal partners. This marks an alignment not just of financial interests, but cultural ownership of the sport — where athletes aren’t just participants, but stakeholders.
Athlos NYC: The Big Picture
Beyond the long jump flash in Times Square, Athlos NYC 2025 includes six track events: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 100 m hurdles, 800 m, and the mile. Sports Channel underscores that the prize structure is serious: $60,000 to first place in each event, $25,000 to second, $10,000 to third, with further payouts down to sixth. And there’s a bold $250,000 bonus for setting a world record.
It’s not only top-tier athletes who benefit. Ten percent of event revenues will be redistributed among all participants. That breaks from winner-takes-all models and hints at athlete-centric economics. Sports Channel finds that concept notable — particularly in track & field, where financial stability is elusive below the very top.
The field for Athlos 2025 includes elite names: Keely Hodgkinson, Faith Kipyegon, Marileidy Paulino, and more. On Thursday (October 9), the Times Square qualifier unfolded — free and open to the public. On Friday, the full slate at Icahn promises to deliver the spectacle that Times Square teased. Sports Channel is watching to see whether the momentum generated on the streets will translate into record performances in the stadium.
Why This Matters for Women’s Athletics
The long jump in Times Square is far more than a publicity trick. Sports Channel considers it emblematic of a larger shift in how women’s sport demands to be seen. Field events have historically carried less media appeal — they rarely have the visceral simplicity of a 100-meter dash. But taking a qualifier into public view disrupts that paradigm. It frames a jump as drama, as narrative, as theater.
Athlos’ commitment to field disciplines doesn’t just offer more opportunities — it reframes what constitutes a marquee event. Sports Channel suggests this methodology may inspire other meets to reconsider how they program their lineups and present lesser-highlighted events.
Moreover, Athlos’ business and structural experimentation may provide a blueprint for sustainable women’s athletics. If they can expand to multiple cities, maintain financial health, and retain athlete buy-in, they might bend the trajectory of how track meets are conceived.
A Leap Viewed Through a City’s Lens
At its heart, the Times Square jump was a moment of convergence — the athlete, the city, the crowd, and the sport. Sports Channel sees it not just as a qualifier, but as a performance piece: sand pits amid skyscrapers, runway lights mingling with neon adverts, spectators in the street turning to watch a long jumper fly.
One could argue it’s a gamble: What happens if weather, crowd control, or logistics fail? But Athlos treated it as a feature, not a stunt. The crowd, curious and engaged, became part of the narrative. The city became the arena. And for a few thrilling minutes, women’s long jump sat in the cultural center rather than the margins.
If Athlos continues to expand this way, Sports Channel predicts we may look back on Times Square as an inflection point — when jumpers weren’t relegated to the back corner, but invited to take center stage.
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Tara Davis-Woodhall Clinches World Long Jump Title, Adding to Olympic Gold
With a commanding leap of 7.13 metres, American Tara Davis-Woodhall claimed gold in the women’s long jump at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, solidifying her place atop the event following her Olympic triumph in 2024. From her opening jump to her fourth-round best, she set a standard no one could match, while Malaika Mihambo and Natalia Linares chased hard to complete the podium.
From Olympic Peak to World Supremacy
Tara Davis-Woodhall arrived in Tokyo having already proven herself at the highest level. After winning Olympic gold, she remained unbeaten in long jump competitions since taking silver at the previous world championships. Her performance at the Worlds lived up to the expectations: opening with a massive 7.08m jump, then improving to 7.13m in the fourth round. It was enough to put the competition behind her early, and never look back.
Key Moments that Sealed the Win
Opening statement: Davis-Woodhall made her intentions clear from her first attempt, with a 7.08m jump that no competitor could match in that moment. That early mark established psychological advantage.
Fourth round boost: She added five more centimetres on her fourth jump, bringing the winning distance to 7.13m. That incremental increase solidified her lead, taking pressure off and quieting any hopes of a comeback from the rest.
Steady challengers: Malaika Mihambo, already a legend in her own right with multiple world titles and an Olympic medal, worked through the rounds—from 6.92m to 6.95m, then up to 6.99m—but couldn’t find a jump beyond that. Natalia Linares surprised many by pulling off a personal best of 6.92m to earn bronze.
Unbroken Since the Last Worlds: A Run of Dominance
Davis-Woodhall’s journey is one of consistent excellence. Since finishing second at the last world championships, she has not lost a long jump competition, winning the Olympic gold and now adding the world title. She showed mental resilience and technical sharpness, executing when it mattered rather than waiting for mistakes from others.
The Rivalry: Mihambo & Linares Push Hard
Malaika Mihambo, German long jump great, came close. Her progression through the rounds showed determination, but two failed attempts late in the final prevented her from capitalizing more. She settled for silver with 6.99 metres. Linares, from Colombia, earned bronze with 6.92 metres—a personal best. Her performance underscored that even with a commanding leader, competition remains deep and hungry.
What Makes Davis-Woodhall’s Leap Special
Clearing 7 metres is elite in women’s long jump, and she did it not just in one jump but with consistency. Even her opening jump over 7 metres set the bar.
Technical execution under pressure: jumps aren’t just about distance—they depend on speed, takeoff precision, landing, mental focus. She delivered all of those, while others faltered with fouls or unable to improve late.
Beyond the Medal: What this Victory Means
For Davis-Woodhall, this win cements her as more than just an Olympic champion—she’s now the reigning world champion. Holding both titles puts her in rare company in track & field, and it indicates that her peak isn’t just a moment but a phase of dominance. It also lifts expectations for her future performances: championships tend to bring scrutiny, and opponents will now analyze every detail of her form, strategy, and consistency.
Looking Ahead: Eyes on Longevity and Legacy
What will matter in the coming seasons:
Maintaining form through injury risk and the physical demands of long jump competition. Davis-Woodhall has shown she can perform under pressure, but repeating this over years is what builds legends.
How rivals respond. Mihambo will surely be motivated for redemption; Linares has tasted the podium—expect sharper and bolder attempts.
Technical refinements. Longer jumpers often talk about marginal gains—wind conditions, approach speed, takeoff angle. Davis-Woodhall’s success may inspire shifts or innovations.
Place in history. With Olympic + World titles, she’s now building a trophy-case that could rival some of the all-time greats.
Tara Davis-Woodhall launched herself into the long jump spotlight with authority—7.13m wasn’t just a jump, but a statement. Against seasoned rivals and high stakes, she held steady, improved when needed, and delivered gold. The long jump world has a new queen, and she shows signs of ruling for a while.
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