Undefeated through the Grand Slam Track series so far, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden claimed wins in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia. Proved by a sharp 10.73 in the 100m and a 21.99 PB in the 200m that stunned Olympic champion Gabby Thomas. Just a year ago, Jefferson-Wooden was finishing sixth at Prefontaine, trying to recover form after an injury-plagued 2023. And now, she’s not just beating big names — she’s becoming one. With this, her eyes are not set on another champion…
While the early season meets gave her momentum, Jefferson-Wooden has carefully structured her campaign around building. Not peaking early, not chasing flash. She opened with victories in Kingston, pushing through gusty conditions to claim both the 100m and 200m titles. A month later in Miami, she clocked an albeit wind-aided 10.75 in the 100m and secured the overall sprint title by a single point. But the moment that confirmed her status came in Philadelphia, where she ran a legal 10.73. Clean, composed, and fast enough to tie her for 10th all-time globally. The victory over Gabby Thomas and Tamari Davis was not just a win; it was a declaration.
Yet, for Jefferson-Wooden, numbers do not dictate belief. What moves her is the contrast between what she once lacked and what she now possesses. “I’ve looked at the Olympic race and I’ve looked at Pre-Classic from last year probably at least a hundred times,” she told CitiusMag. “And when I look at myself last year, I look at a girl who—she has all the potential, she just didn’t have the strength. That was me.” It is not a reflection steeped in self-pity but in growth. That girl, she explains, had a heart, which carried her through injury. This year, she brings her full capacity. Physical and mental. Without compromise.
It is that fusion of body and mind that marks the difference. “With my physical and my mental being together,” Jefferson-Wooden said, “the sky’s the limit. And I will not lie—I’m excited. I am very excited.” For someone who speaks in full candor, the repetition is not dramatic flourish. It is conviction, earned the hard way. That excitement is not nerves. It is the tension before an arrow leaves the string.
“When I look at myself last year, I look at a girl who has all the potential, she just didn’t have the strength… With my physical and my mental being together, the sky’s the limit.”
A healthy Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is a dangerous Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and that’s been… pic.twitter.com/BgLGbrZhdO
— CITIUS MAG (@CitiusMag) July 4, 2025
As she prepares to face Richardson and Julien Alfred once again, Jefferson-Wooden does not posture. She prepares. The Prefontaine Classic will not be her proving ground. It will be the site of her return, fully realized. While others speak in forecasts and headlines, she trains in repetition, in reflection, and in careful patience rarely seen in the sprinting world. The noise around her has grown. But she is no longer trying to break through it. She knows exactly where she belongs. On the line, in the race, and finally, at her full strength. And if anyone doubts her ability to clash with the big names, her race with Gabby Thomas would clarify things.
How Melissa Jefferson-Wooden outpaced Gabby Thomas
It was not the performance Gabby Thomas had envisioned. After entering Grand Slam Track Philadelphia as the season’s 200m standard-bearer, the Olympic champion found herself once more in pursuit of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, a rival who, for the third time this season, proved untouchable at the finish line. Running with a striking combination of speed and control, Jefferson-Wooden delivered a personal best of 21.99 seconds, eclipsing Thomas’s 22.10 and setting a new meet record at Franklin Field.
Grand Slam Track In Philadelphia – Day One Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States wins in the Women s 200 Meters during the Grand Slam Track series at the historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, on May 31, 2025. Philadelphia United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xSTRx originalFilename:str-grandsla250531_npJr3.jpg
While Jefferson-Wooden offered little fanfare post-race, Thomas addressed the outcome candidly. “Not the Slam results I hoped for, but when you race as often as I do, you can’t win ’em all,” she wrote on X. The admission, shared alongside a selection of photographs, marked a moment of reflection.
Even in defeat, Thomas’s comportment was notable. After the race, she remained with fans, taking photos and accepting a handwritten card from a young supporter praising her kindness and perseverance. “You inspire me. You are kind and caring. You always smile. 3 GOLD MEDALS,” the note read. Thomas later posted the card publicly, writing, “I’m so grateful to everyone who continues to support me on my journey, win or lose, rain or shine.” The words stood in contrast to the scoreboard but not to her character. The battle for supremacy may have tilted again toward Jefferson-Wooden, but Thomas’s stature among fans endured without diminishment.
The post Humbling Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson Sets Sights on Sha’Carri Richardson’s Throne appeared first on EssentiallySports.
