“You’re forced to adapt when you’re faced with a new challenge.” That’s what Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas said after taking home the medal. She also admitted that there were times she wanted to walk away from the sport altogether. But instead, she chose to do what she does best—run straight toward the finish line, every single time. The thunderous cheers on race day might make it all seem easy, but what really goes on behind the scenes tells a different story…
Gabby Thomas did not just set out to win the Olympic Gold medal; she was ready to make a legacy of her own. Today, she is a three-time Olympic medalist and a world championship medalist. But the hard work behind the glory would leave her wheezing for breath every time. But there is no other cheat code to greatness, and she knows it. Speaking on the same, Gabby sat with Vogue in January 2025 that, “On the track, I can’t cheat four years of hard work and commitment—otherwise I wouldn’t be there. You show up every day, and you work. And win or lose, the emotions that come—you can’t fake that, either.”
And so the American has dedicated hours every day, training rigorously even after being an Olympic gold medalist. In the lead-up to the 2024 season, she shared her observation on her training process, and now she is back with another update for 2025. In the wee hours of June 10th, she posted an Instagram story with the beautiful blue sky above to show what she was seeing at that moment. Why was she looking up at the sky? Well, the view was nice, of course, but she was lying down flat on the track from exhaustion. Thomas revealed the same with a small note on the picture saying, “My view on, laid out on the track, barely breathing.”
Back on December 23, 2023, she posted on X about her hard training and feeling doubtful about acing the workout. Thomas revealed, “Almost every week, I get faced with at least one workout that I’m not sure how I’m going to get through… but I almost always do. I love track.”
Thomas’s most recent feat includes winning the gold medal in the women’s 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympics with a time of 21.83 seconds. This victory was her first Olympic gold, after winning a bronze in the 200m in Tokyo. She also won a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the Tokyo Olympics. And now? She is ready to build her legacy again. Part of her training for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles includes a more methodical approach and training smarter. “I’m focusing on my longevity, so I’m prioritizing recovery and mental resilience just as much as my actual speed and strength,” she said in the Marie Claire interview published on June 3, 2025.
Surely, she is not leaving any stone unturned. As per her interview, she also focuses on her mental health and training her mind to recenter while meditating. This also included talking to her inner child.
Gabby Thomas can face defeat with a smile
Thomas might have been an Olympic icon, but that does not mean failure did not knock on her door. Remember the Grand Slam Track meet in Philly? Melissa Jefferson-Wooden surged past her to claim another win, making Thomas 4th in the race.
Gabby took to X to share her thoughts about her loss with the world. She posted her mature and thoughtful message on June 2, 2025: “Not the Slam results I hoped for, but when you race as often as I do, you can’t win ’em all. On the bright side, this is the best I have ever run at this point in the season. I’m so grateful to everyone who continues to support me on my journey, win or lose, rain or shine. I love this sport sm and I’ll see you guys on the track very soon!!!”
Just a day after, on June 3, her interview with Marie Claire was published, where she opened up about her approach to mental health. Gabby revealed her take on wellness principles and her motto. These are the ones she wanted to share with her younger self. “Think about wellness holistically and consider how we can thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally,” she said. “A little goes a long way,” she reflected. These little rituals and training regimes are shaping her for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Do you think she will return more powerful than before?
The post “Barely Breathing”: Gabby Thomas Drops a Vulnerable Glimpse Into Life on the Track appeared first on EssentiallySports.
