An exclusive interview with the Olympic 200m champion about what it takes to stay at the top of the sport, overcome injuries and leave a legacy both on and off the track.
Gabby Thomas is getting ready to test her limits this outdoor season. The Olympic 200m champion, after spending a considerable amount of time on the sidelines last year, is eager to push the boundaries as far as possible. The ultimate goal? To have fun.
With no Olympic Games or World Athletics Championships for the first time since 2018 (barring Covid-19 affected in 2020), it represents an opportunity for Thomas to focus on reducing his times over numerous distances.
The 29-year-old spent the end of last year recovering from an Achilles tendon injury she first suffered in May but then aggravated in July. Although Thomas qualified for the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, she withdrew to prioritize her long-term health.
This is not the first time Thomas has had to overcome adversity. After winning an Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo at age 24, the sprinter was one of the favorites, along with Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, for the gold medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon.
Just two weeks before the USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field, Thomas suffered a grade two hamstring strain. Despite the injury, she competed in the championships and placed eighth in the 200 meters final.
Thomas, with the help of her coach Tonja Buford-Bailey, overcame the setback and came back to secure a world silver medal in the 200 meters in Budapest the following year. Having gained even more championship experience, she won the Olympic 200m gold medal in Paris, as well as topping the podium in both the women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relay.
The American athlete believes she has become stronger through each setback, placing importance on learning about herself through each process.
“Serious injuries are very painful and, I mean, emotionally painful,” he says. A.W.. “You work really hard for it. I think the hardest thing about having to leave Tokyo last year was the frustration of knowing that I worked all year to run really well in Japan.” [Thomas had a season’s best of 21.95 in the 200m].
“I train every day for that moment. I am no stranger to injuries and setbacks, and part of that comes with experience, knowing that you can recover and become a better and better athlete afterwards. If you want to be at the top of the sport, you have to be resilient. Being grounded is also important and it is good to adhere to these principles.
“So from now on, I’m taking that experience with me. I had a setback with an injury, but it’s okay. I’ll come back stronger. Um, that’s how it normally is. I really hope to have a strong season this year. I didn’t go to Tokyo because I wanted to take care of myself, so I’m ready for the next few years.”
Thomas will open his season, the first time he will be on the track competitively since Aug. 3, in the 100 and 200 meters at this weekend’s Texas Relays. A regular at the Austin event, the sprinter will try to set early records and may even challenge her personal best in the 100 meters (11:00 in 2021 and 2022).
An Olympic 200m champion, she has already qualified for the inaugural Ultimate World Championships in Budapest, a “made-for-TV” athletics event that will debut over three nights from September 11-13.
Thomas says one of his biggest goals this year is to see how fast he can break 400m. At last year’s Grand Slam Track meet in Kingston, the American athlete revised her best time to 49.14, a mark that places her eighth on the all-time US 400 meters list.
“Without Olympic or world games this year, “It’s a great opportunity for athletes to have fun,” he says. “I have I explored a few different things in training and pushed it a little more on the endurance side. [Thomas has publicised mile reps on social media]. Training for three events [100m/200m/400m] It has its own challenges because they all require very different skills.
Yo I want to include more 400 meter races on the calendar this year. I really think I have a lot of potential in the 400m, but having said that, the 200m will always be my favorite event. “It’s going to be my baby and that’s the one I’ll be racing in Budapest.”
Thomas has also made a considerable impact off the court in recent years and her passion for empowering women in sport is undeniable. The association of the sprinter with atlosthe women-only track and field event founded by Alexis Ohanian, is one example.
Now in its third season, atlos will expand into a multi-meet women’s team track and field league in 2026. Thomas, along with Sha’Carri Richardson and Tara Davis-Woodhall, is one of three advisor-owners, with a say in how the league will be shaped in future years.
Full of strobe lights, pyrotechnics, DJ sets, atlos has attracted a host of star names over the past two years, and last year’s edition saw the likes of Keely Hodgkinson and Faith Kipyegon excelling on the track, as well as Davis-Woodhall lighting up Times Square in the long jump.
Thomas is also not shy about documenting his journey on social media and wants to leave a legacy that encapsulates his work both on and off the track.
“I still think about how I started as an athlete and how the landscape was different,” Thomas says. “It’s been a lot of fun growing up with this generation of athletes, like Noah Lyles and Masai Russell. There are so many personalities, and I think my generation has done a pretty exceptional job of creating our own brand, promoting ourselves and making ourselves known.
“That’s given us a lot of opportunities that I think previous generations didn’t have. But when I think about how I started, you know I was definitely a little more shy than I am now. I followed the rule book a little more. I thought things had to be a certain way and the sport was very rigid. That’s how it works, you don’t say anything and that’s it.
“But in the last few years, I think I’ve grown a lot in terms of confidence. I’ve managed to figure out who I am and that really shows in how I’ve navigated my career. Now I don’t just see myself as an athlete, but also as an entrepreneur, a lawyer and a founder.
“One of my biggest inspirations is Allyson Felix. I’ve always said it’s not just because of what she did on the court, right? It’s how she carried herself and how she used her voice on many occasions off the court. I saw a lot of myself in her. So those are the things that I really admire in athletes and it’s something that I really want to replicate in my own career.”
Thomas now has his own New Balance Ellipse collection, launching on April 8. After being deeply involved in the design process, the collection, which features subtle pastel tones and neutral colors, was designed to represent her individuality and strength as a competitor.
The collection will feature a variety of garments and a special color combination, bridging the gap between performance and lifestyle without sacrificing comfort or fashion.
“It was amazing to be a part of the design process and help shape the shoe that truly reflects who I am,” Thomas says. There are so many decisions you have to make and sometimes you’re going back and forth in your own head, but essentially, I went with what felt true to me.
“YO I love both fashion and competition, so merging both worlds feels natural, and I also love the moment when sport has, you know, ambassador athletes like me who are merging those worlds.
“YOIt’s truly an honor to have my own collection of athletes, especially with New Balance. I have to show my creative side a little. So for me, this collection is about creating pieces that empower athletes.”
