Serena Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian seethes with anger after Gabby Thomas calls out gambler verbally abusing her in public
Serena Williams's husband, Alexis Ohanian, has delivered a stinging rebuke to an online gambler who verbally abused athlete Gabby Thomas. Three-time Olympic gold-medalist Thomas was competing in the Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia this last weekend, when she was disturbed by shouting from the stands before, during, and after her race.
Thomas was beaten in the 200 metres by fellow Olympic champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who needed to record her fastest-ever time at the distance to win the race. The race was overshadowed, however, by the controversy after the event. It's not the first time Gabby Thomas has complained of trolling and abuse.
The X user, Mr 100k a day, who proudly posted footage of his verbal attacks on the athlete. Thomas posted her reaction on X, writing:
"This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults- anybody who enables him online is gross."
Alexis Ohanian, a long-term supporter and investor in women's track and field, could not disguise his disappointment at Thomas' treatment. Serena Williams's husband responded angrily:
"Absolutely pathetic."
The individual, accused by Thomas of leveling the abuse, was unabashed by the controversy and even posted footage on his account in which he could be heard screaming abuse at Thomas. He unapologetically captioned the post:
"I made Gabby lose by checking her. And it made my parlay win."
It has not been possible to confirm if the gambler did benefit financially from his actions. The fact that Gabby Thomas was beaten in the race suggested that he might well have done so.
Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have invested heavily in women's track and field
Alexis Ohanian has put his money where his mouth is in supporting women's track and field. He teamed up with Gabby Thomas in 2024 to create the Athlos NYC track meet, in which he offered record prize money to US women's track athletes in a groundbreaking event. His $60,000 first prize outstripped the money offered for any other World athletic event.
At the time, Ohanian made it clear that he wasn't attempting to usurp the sport's flagship Diamond League events, stating on X that his involvement had simply encouraged more interest in women's track and field:
"We don't see Diamond League as competition — it's complementary — and I've personally loved seeing so many folks start investing into the sport since our announcement back in April."
Given their collaboration, it's unsurprising that Ohanian has come to Gabby Thomas's defense after her online abuse. Ohanian and Serena Williams have also supported women's basketball and soccer and are part-owners of Angel City FC, in the US National Women's Soccer League.