Gabby Thomas on Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s enduring influence and her ambitious plans for 2026: I’ll be back
At a Women’s Sports Foundation gala in New York City, the three-time Olympic sprint champion spoke with Olympics.com about the evolving landscape of track and field. “Iron sharpens iron,” she remarked when describing Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s historic sprint double at this year’s World Championships.
The year following Paris 2024, where Thomas claimed three golds, found the American star juggling competition with a demanding rehabilitation. An Achilles tendon injury sidelined parts of her season and she ultimately skipped September’s World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. Yet she isn’t signaling retirement or slowing down.
“I’ll be back,” Thomas affirmed. “I’ll start a bit later next season to finish healing my Achilles, but I’ll compete in a full season. My focus will be on Athlos toward the latter part of the year and the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, which is a new initiative I’m excited about.” She went on to say that she relishes participation in fresh, innovative directions within the sport.
Thomas has also been active behind the scenes, advising Athlos, a women-focused track and field league entering its second year in 2025. She envisions 2026 as a pivotal year for Athlos’s real-team model league, describing it as a constructive, disruptive force in athletics. Her belief is that the format can provide athletes with sustainable livelihoods and clear goals to strive toward.
So how does Thomas view the ascent of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and the legacy of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, now retired? She addressed both questions in depth, sharing reflections and future ambitions.
Thomas on sport, education, and possibility: “You can achieve anything.”
Thomas’s journey from Harvard to Olympic gold was highlighted by her decisive victory in the women’s 200m at Paris 2024. She attributes her progress to a growing passion for the sport and personal development, crediting Harvard with laying a solid foundation for her current success.
On Jefferson-Wooden’s rapid rise: “Iron sharpens iron.”
While Thomas paused to rest, rehab, and attend red-carpet events following her Worlds withdrawal, Jefferson-Wooden delivered a landmark performance in September, sweeping both the 100m and 200m at the World Championships—the first U.S. woman to achieve the sprint double at a World Championships.
Thomas described the feat as extraordinarily impressive. She noted that as part of the gold-medal 4x100m relay team at Paris 2024—with Sha’Carri Richardson and Twanisha Terry—Jefferson-Wooden has long been regarded as outstanding. The difficulty of winning both individual sprints at a major meet is not lost on Thomas, who emphasized the extensive behind-the-scenes work that often goes unseen.
Does this motivate Thomas for 2026 and beyond, including a home Games in Los Angeles 2028? Her answer was a definite yes. “There’s always a fire inside me,” she said. When top rivals achieve feats, it motivates her to push harder.
Thomas also acknowledged the broader talents of women in track and field, expressing confidence that the competitive energy among peers will elevate everyone. She suggested that this mutual rivalry is driving the sport forward.
The impact of Fraser-Pryce
Fraser-Pryce, widely regarded as one of the greatest female sprinters of all time, pushed the sport forward during a storied career that spanned multiple Olympic cycles. Her final season in 2025 culminated with a gold-medal performance at the World Championships. In reflecting on Fraser-Pryce’s influence, Thomas recalled growing up watching her and described the joy of competing alongside a pioneer who earned immense love and inspired countless young athletes, including herself. Thomas expressed pride in Fraser-Pryce’s legacy and admiration for the path she helped pave for the next generation of female sprinters.
Inspiration for the next generation
Thomas emphasized that her motivation comes from young fans who attend events and rally around athletes for hours. Their enthusiasm reinforces the idea that sport can be a powerful source of inspiration for the next generation of runners. It’s a reminder that the core purpose of elite competition extends beyond medals to mentorship and opportunity for future athletes.
As the conversation touched on broader implications, Thomas’s interactions with rising stars and young fans underscored a common theme: excellence in sport is most meaningful when it sparks opportunity, education, and a lasting sense of possibility for future generations.
Would you like to see a longer feature exploring Thomas’s training philosophy, her approach to rehabilitation, and her plans for Athlos in more detail, including potential expansion strategies and partnerships? Also, do you agree with Thomas that rivalries among elite sprinters ultimately propel the sport forward, or do you think the emphasis should be placed more on collaborative paths to growth?
