Rest is not for champions like Gabby Thomas! After winning three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Gabby, instead of enjoying her Olympic fame, has been training to keep her competitive edge in check. With gold medals in the 200m, the 4x100m relay, and the 4x400m relay, Gabby is already at the zenith of Olympic fame. However, despite these wins, Gabby recently went on to reveal that the real battle started after stepping off the podium.

“Honestly, it’s one of the biggest challenges I think I’ve ever had to face,” said Gabby. After returning from one of the most glitz and glory of the Olympics, jumping back into training is far from easy. It is a test of resilience. Reflecting on her post-Olympic experience, she shared, “Having such a long season and the emotional roller coaster of going to the Olympics and coming back from the Olympics and then putting your head down and hitting the track again and going back and training at such an intense level and balancing everything else that comes with being a gold medalist. And so I’ve just been fighting through it.” These are not just words but a lived reality of balancing the pressure of a title. But if there is one thing the world knows about Thomas, it is that her journey is defined by resilience.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Gabby Thomas narrowly missed out on the top spots. She went on to win bronze in the 200m and silver in the 4x100m relay. Come 2024, she made a comeback to be remembered. But dealing with the losses and experiences over the years has not been an easy task. “I’ve trained myself to do that mentally over the years, and what I do for a living is wake up, and I do things that I don’t want to do all the time,” Gabby added.

After the Olympics, Gabby put a little pause on doing things she did not want to do. Thomas skipped the closing ceremony in Paris and returned home. And she returned to a hero’s welcome, and a Toyota Land Cruiser was gifted to make the homecoming sweeter. But, as the dust settled on the victory parades, it was back to reality. The pressure of being the best was back and loomed large.

Gabby went on to admit, “It’s all going to be worth it when I can line up and feel good that I trained for this.” For Gabby, each race isn’t just another competition. It is the moment she is able to see her countless hours of sacrifice, discipline, and sheer willpower materialize. Despite her success, Gabby’s challenges are far from over. Gabby Thomas, off on her next adventure, is gearing up for Athlos.

Athlos is more than just a race for Gabby Thomas!

Thomas isn’t just lining up at Athlos for another medal; she is here for something bigger and deeper. Athlos, a female-only track and field meeting, will take place at New York City’s Icahn Stadium. The name Athlos comes from the Greek word for athletics. It aims to simplify and elevate the sport and focuses on just six events. The races also include 200m distance, where Gabby will be racing again.

For Gabby Thomas, the larger philosophy of Athlos has been a driving force to wake up and train better. “That delayed gratification, right? Every day, you wake up, and you’re like, you know, I might not want to run Rec 400s today. I just, I really don’t want to do it. But you got to think about what you’re doing it for, and that’s why you always need to have a why and a purpose. And training for this meet is a perfect example for that. I mean, we’re doing it for a reason,” Gabby shared.

Athlos is quickly becoming more than a race but a symbol of empowerment. And it is drawing in some big names, including Masai Russell, Faith Kipyegon, and Marileidy Paulino. Gabby’s presence is yet another step in the direction of her ongoing commitment to advancing women’s sports despite having reached the pinnacle of Olympic success! “This is to showcase what we can do in women’s track and field,” she concluded. Gabby Thomas, this time, is not just running for herself but for every young girl watching, every fan who believes, and every woman athlete striving to make their mark on the world stage.