One of the best things about sports is witnessing that moment—the one that changes everything for an athlete. The kind that takes them from great to untouchable. For Gabby Thomas, that moment was in Paris when she stormed to Olympic gold in the 200 meters. She’s been living up to the hype. “My life has changed a lot,” Gabby admits. She’s been on fire, winning everything in sight. With three Olympic gold medals under her belt—one individual and two from the 4 x 100 m and 4 x 400 m relays—she’s ready to make 2025 another year to remember.

With the most anticipated track season kicking off, all roads lead to the Grand Slam Track Circuit. But hold up—Gabby’s got a serious problem, and it comes in the form of Dina Asher-Smith. Britain’s fastest woman is not here to play. She hasn’t forgotten that Olympic loss, and while she can’t rewrite Olympic history in 2025, she can make Gabby’s life a whole lot harder in 2025.

According to Athletics Weekly, Dina Asher-Smith is ready to be a Grand Slam Track challenger in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4-6, competing in the long sprints category (200m/400m). She’ll be up against a stacked field, including Gabby Thomas, Marileidy Paulino, Alexis Holmes, Nickisha Pryce, Salwa Eid Naser, and two yet-to-be-announced competitors.

But let’s be real—the real showdown everyone’s watching is Asher-Smith vs. Thomas. Because when you put Britain’s fastest woman on the same track as the reigning Olympic 200m champion, sparks will fly. Asher-Smith has been making big moves, literally. In 2024, she relocated to Austin, Texas, to train under Edrick “Flo” Floreal, the mastermind behind some of the sport’s biggest stars.

Her new training squad includes Julien Alfred, the Olympic 100m champ from St. Lucia, so she’s clearly surrounded by elite company. But will it be enough? Statistically, Gabby has the edge—her personal bests (10.80s in the 100m, 21.60s in the 200m, and a jaw-dropping 49.68 in the 400m) are faster across the board than Asher-Smith’s (10.83s, 21.88s, and 52.31s, respectively).

However, with Gabby expected to stick to the short sprints (100m/200m) at the GST and Asher-Smith stepping up to the 200m/400m, things could get interesting in 200m. Ever since Dina refused to shake Gabby’s hand, the tension has been real. One thing’s for sure—this rivalry hasn’t been cooling down anytime soon since the Olympics.

Tension builds between Dina Asher-Smith and Gabby Thomas

Gabby Thomas was already throwing her hands up before she even crossed the line, fully aware she had just become the Paris Olympic 200m champion. Behind her, Julien Alfred, fresh off her 100-meter gold, cruised into silver. But the real chaos was happening just behind them. Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, and Brittany Brown were locked in an all-out brawl for bronze, practically shoulder-to-shoulder.

In the end, Brown snatched it by the tiniest of margins, leaving Asher-Smith in fourth—again. Another Olympics had slipped away without an individual medal for the British duo. Neita, who finished fourth in the 100m and fifth in the 200m, took it in stride. Meanwhile, Asher-Smith, at 28, knows opportunities like this don’t come often.

As for Thomas, this gold medal felt inevitable the moment Shericka Jackson—one of the only sprinters capable of pushing her—pulled out injured. Thomas’s 21.83 wasn’t her fastest, but it didn’t have to be. Asher-Smith went out hard, leading through the bend, but Thomas hit the gas down the straight. Soon, Alfred followed, and in the final meters, even Brown edged past her.

Asher-Smith later admitted she “ran angry,” even brushing past Thomas in the semis while the American just grinned at the camera. She reportedly snubbed Gabby Thomas’s handshake, leaving people wondering what was really going on. But when it came down to the final, there was no stopping Thomas. She flew to gold in 21.86 seconds, proving once again that she’s not just fast.

She’s a Harvard-educated epidemiologist, an advocate, and one of the friendliest people on the circuit. Well, friendly until she’s on the track. The 200m isn’t just about speed, technique, and endurance, mastered by legends like Wilma Rudolph and Allyson Felix. And now? Thomas isn’t just following in their footsteps. No, she’s making her mark and setting the stage for a 2025 season that no one will forget.