Team USA Star McKenzie Long Reveals Life-Changing Call After Gabby Thomas Ruled Out of Tokyo World Championships

When Gabby Thomas announced her withdrawal from the Tokyo World Championships, it sent shockwaves across the track world. In her confession, she lashed out, “I am a human being first, and I am not a racecar. I’m not a source of entertainment for people, right? I need to take care of my own body and listen to it.” Thomas had been battling an Achilles tendon injury since May, yet she still competed at the USATF Championships, clocking 22.20s in the 200m. With Thomas stepping aside, McKenzie Long received the call to join the US team, a life-changing opportunity she seized with both hands, running with determination to prove she could be the perfect replacement.

She certainly flexed her class in the heats, scorching the 200m in a stellar 22.51s to claim victory in the third heat, with Ashanti Moore and Sophia Junk finishing behind her in 22.57s and 22.81s, respectively. Stepping in as a replacement, Long has more than lived up to expectations, seamlessly earning her spot in the semifinals, just as one would expect from the world No. 8. Reflecting with the media, she fondly recalled the pivotal call she received while in Europe, a moment that ultimately helped secure her place on the team.

“So initially, I was in the relay pool. I was leaving the third from Zurich to come on over to Tokyo. I didn’t know that I got the phone call until I woke up. Thank you. Good job. I got the phone call at like 1:00 a.m. because I was in Europe. They didn’t know I was in Europe, but I didn’t answer it because I was asleep. Then my coach woke up, and we were going to leave on the plane. He was like, “You’ve got to have a serious conversation with me.” I was like, “What did I do?” Immediately, my heart started racing,” said Long.

Her coach certainly made her wait for the grand moment to reveal that she was on the 200m team, “He was like, ‘First things first, I think your mom is up there doing some crazy things.” I was like, okay. I originally didn’t know what he was going to say. Then he said, “You know, we’ve been going through it this season, and God pulls through for those who pull through for Him. So, you’re on the 200.”

Among the U.S. athletes, Brittany Brown stormed through the fourth heat in 22.50s, edging Bahamian sprinter Anthonique Strachan into second. Heat 1 saw Anavia Battle blaze to victory in 22.07, while Melissa Jefferson-Wooden claimed Heat 2 with 22.24. Except for the last two heats, the American women have set the tone from the very start.  McKenzie may trail behind her compatriots, but her presence in the semi-finals is proof that the country is on track to secure a medal in the finals.

The absence of Gabby Thomas is certainly felt, but McKenzie Long is doing everything she can to rise to the top. Interestingly, there was a time when Thomas herself drew inspiration from Long.

Back when Gabby Thomas was inspired by McKenzie Long

Back when tragedy struck, Long lost her mother, Tara, to a sudden heart attack, a loss that shook her to the core. Yet, instead of letting grief break her, she has turned it into fuel, drawing strength from the very woman who raised her. Well, how can Long give up? She was raised by someone who was a single mother, who not only handled her but also went to grad school, got a PhD, and became a professor. Talking to the media, she stated, “It’s hard because I’m just like, ‘Mom, what do you think of this?’…Because my mom, she wanted to be involved – she wanted to deal with all the hands-on stuff.”

She further added, “You see her [ Long ] doing incredible things on the track despite what she’s going through in her personal life. It just kind of fuels me to go into my races and do well.”It was quite a storm she faced, but instead of letting it hold her back, Long turned it into fuel for greatness. When a reporter asked Gabby Thomas about Long’s journey, she didn’t hesitate to call it truly inspirational.

“Incredible! I mean, that was exactly what I’m talking about. It’s one of those inspiring stories that you care about, and it inspires me,” said Gabby Thomas. Her words quickly circulated across media outlets, eventually reaching Long. Both friends are highly experienced, and while it was no small feat for Long to be chosen as Thomas’s replacement, the real question remains,  will she be able to clinch a medal? Only time will tell.