Clinching your maiden Olympic gold is a big deal, and Gabby Thomas has worked long and hard for the title. She first embarked on this journey by contesting at the U.S. Olympic Trials 3 years ago. With 21.61 seconds on the clock, the sprinter had just set her third personal best in 3 days of competition. However, she had just cemented herself as the second-fastest woman in the 200m dash. Who still held the #1 spot, you ask? It was none other than track and field legend Florence Griffith-Joyner. 

So, how did she do in the Japanese capital? Much to her dismay, the sprinter was no match for her Jamaican rival, Elaine Thompson-Herah, who claimed the coveted gold in 21.53 seconds. As for the American? She had to settle for a third-place finish with 21.87 seconds on the clock. But that was then. The sprinter had her sights set on the Olympic gold, and Paris would be her shot at a win. And she had done it! With 21.83 seconds, the 27-year-old claimed the title of an Olympic champion. Yet, her journey to the top didn’t come with a few bumps along the way. What could they be?

Gabby Thomas nearly didn’t make her debut on the world’s biggest stage

While she worked towards her dreams in 2020, an unfortunate incident nearly derailed her dreams of Olympic glory. What could have possibly crushed her chances at such a pivotal stage? A liver tumor. On October 29, the sprinter appeared in a casual, sit-down interview on Why Not Me? with Mike Jackson to discuss how life has been so far. When Jackson asked what that experience was like, the Olympian didn’t hold back. “Everyone around me at this time was kind of freaking out a little bit,” she confessed.

But how did she find out? While the details are unclear, Gabby Thomas revealed that something bothered her during practice. To ease her mind, she decided to get an MRI done. However, during this time, the sprinter continued her intense training regime. She wanted to ensure that she was fit, both physically and mentally. Yet the uncertainty of whether it was cancerous or not left her distraught. However, when the results came in, her world came crashing down.

“They told me that I had a tumor in my liver that didn’t look good. It did not look benign,” the Olympian revealed. While her family and friends were understandably concerned about her wellbeing, she felt differently. Given that the sprinter is a world-class athlete, the 27-year-old was confident she was as healthy as ever. Yet she had another factor to her advantage. She studied healthcare in school and was aware of how many folks often have tumors. The sprinter also reiterated that they don’t get MRIs done as frequently as an athlete would. 

Gabby Thomas continued, “I was like, ‘Okay, there’s a good chance I could be okay.” However, everyone around her continued to believe that her doctors had confirmed that she wasn’t. After she was cleared to compete at the historic Hayward Field, the sprinter successfully punched her ticket to the Japanese capital. 3 years ago, the sprinter had to settle for a third-place finish. But after clinching the Olympic gold this year, what do the next few years look like for her? 

A track and field legend predicts what 2025 would be like for the sprinter

After claiming the title of the Olympic 200m champion, the 27-year-old snagged the coveted gold hardware in 2 more events: the 4x100m and 4x400m relay. What a difference 3 years make, isn’t it? The sprinter admitted that she runs fast enough to win and believes in being the best version of herself. Even though the dust has settled on the grandeur of the Summer Games, she gets to hold on to this accomplishment for the next 4 years.

Yet, the track and field gets to relive her magic in something just as exciting next season. The 2025 World Athletics Championships will take place in Tokyo. In a recent episode of the Ready Set Go podcast, Justin Gatlin looked forward to one of the most anticipated things many didn’t get to witness at the French capital. What could it be, you ask? The tantalizing USA vs. Jamaica rivalry, of course. Iconic sprint stars like Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shericka Jackson, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce didn’t grace the now iconic purple tracks.

Gabby Thomas had an incredibly successful second berth in Paris, but things could pan out differently in Tokyo next year. “Shericka is very impressive to me, man,” the track and field legend confessed. The Jamaican sprinters had proved their mettle over the years in the 100m, 200m, and 400m events. In fact, Thompson-Herah missed out on defending her title at the Summer Games during the injury. Once she withdrew, their dominance crumbled like a house of cards. Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew once they got to Stade de France.

However, they might likely contest in Tokyo next year, and Justin Gatlin believed that Jackson would be the 27-year-old’s fiercest competitor. “That’s the showdown I want to see. I want to see that Shericka Gabby showdown,” he admitted. The last time they crossed paths was at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, and the Jamaican had clinched gold with 21.41 seconds. On the other hand, the American crossed the finish line in 21.81 seconds, settling for second place instead. The sprinter has come a long way from battling a harrowing health scare to bagging an Olympic gold. Will she be able to continue that rise next season too?