Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the 2025 world champion and fastest woman alive, recently shared why she wasn’t bothered by missing out on the millions earned at the prestigious Athlos event. Despite not competing at the women-only event organized by Alexis Ohanian, she remains at peace with her decision and proud of her incredible season.
Jefferson-Wooden, who dominated the 100m with an undefeated record, made history as the first American to win triple gold at the World Championships. After reflecting on her year, she and her team decided it was best not to compete at Athlos. While it wasn’t an easy decision, her satisfaction with her accomplishments in 2025 outweighed the allure of prize money.
In her social media post, Jefferson-Wooden expressed immense gratitude for the support she received from Athlos organizers, who still invited her to be part of the event, allowing her to enjoy the experience from the sidelines. Even though she felt the “what if” of not participating, the joy and satisfaction of her past victories kept her grounded.
“Obviously, the competitor in me always feels like, ‘You had one more chance,’ but at the same time, I was just so happy with how the year went,” she said in an interview. “It wasn’t easy not to race, but I was grateful for how everything turned out.”
Jefferson-Wooden also revealed a humorous side to her experience, teasing her husband Rolan Wooden II about missing the fun atmosphere while focusing on his own race. The couple shared an inside joke as they laughed at the contrast between the joy surrounding the event and the seriousness of competing.
Despite watching others like Brittany Brown take home prize money, Jefferson-Wooden stayed positive, focusing on the bigger picture of her season’s success. Her presence at the event was not just as an athlete but as a fan, enjoying the energy of the crowd and the athletes. For her, the atmosphere at Athlos was an invaluable experience in itself.
Ultimately, Jefferson-Wooden’s decision to skip the event was driven by her contentment with what she had already achieved, emphasizing that true satisfaction comes from personal growth and the recognition of a truly remarkable season.
