Gabby Thomas might have ruled the Paris Olympics. But her competition is picking up pace rapidly. And she got a first hand experience of the same. Thomas, who was slated to compete in the 100m final of the ATX Sprint Classic 2025, had a forgettable experience. Coming in as the heavy favorite, Thomas started things off on a positive note. Unfortunately, as the race went on, Thomas quickly realized that there is a lot of work for her to do. 

Blazing to the finish line was Favour Ofili. Dropping a blitzkrieg timing of 10.78s, Ofili made a strong statement, picking up the all important triumph. On the contrary, Thomas finished second clocking a wind aided 10.95s. Completing the podium was Kayla White, who came in third at 10.97s. Confirming the timing on X was Travis Miller. The post read, “Favour Ofili 10.78 (+3.1) to win ATX Sprint Classic 100m final!@FavOfili Gabby Thomas with yet another wind aided sub-11 in second.” Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Thomas had a heartbreak.

Few anticipated that the crescendo of the women’s 200 meters in Grand Slam Track Philadelphia would end with Gabby Thomas trailing at the line. The Olympic gold medalist, long accustomed to closing strong in marquee contests, found herself edged not by a rising prospect. But by a seasoned rival in the form of Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, whose ambitions on the track seem to be sharpening with each outing. What unfolded at Franklin Field was not merely a footrace. It was a contest that unsettled established order.

The pivotal moment came early. Jefferson-Wooden, more often associated with the 100 meters, used a quick and composed start to seize a fractional advantage in the opening meters. By the time the curve unwound, Thomas was already pressed to recover lost ground. She closed with determination, but the lead never fully dissolved. Jefferson-Wooden’s finishing time. 21.99 seconds, was not only a personal best but also the fastest ever recorded in the 200 meters at Franklin Field, a track rich with history. Thomas followed at 22.10, unable to erase the early margin.

And now, Thomas’ loss against Favour Ofili is a stark reminder that the track and field realm is ever changing. That’s why, shaping up for the 2028 Olympics, Gabby Thomas has a completely new addition to her training regime. 

Gabby Thomas banks on manifestation as LA28 preparations begin

Gabby Thomas is charting a future that extends well beyond the Olympic podium. For the American sprinter, each race forms just one piece of a larger architecture. In conversation, she doesn’t dwell on medals. Instead, she returns to a central idea: constructing something that will endure. “I’m also excited to continue my legacy,” she says calmly, as though the concept is already taking shape in her mind. This is not idle ambition. It is, as she puts it, a “process.” Measured, rigorous, and deeply intentional.

There is no mystery to her method. Thomas prepares with the sort of deliberate care that suggests foresight, not superstition. “Anytime I have anything coming up, I am visualizing everything very specifically,” she explains. “So it helps me feel like I’ve already lived in the moment in a way.” The practice is not casual. She refers to it, plainly, as “literally manifestation.” Her system, then, is both mental and physical. She’s not simply training to compete. She is rehearsing her legacy, frame by frame.

This level of preparation demands more than discipline; it requires tools that match her intent. “My hyperbaric chamber. I am obsessed with it,” she says, almost as an aside, but with full clarity. The investment signals her commitment to longevity. For Thomas, recovery is inseparable from performance, and both are folded into something wider. Something that points toward Los Angeles, 2028. The results in Paris matter. But the goal she speaks about most is still three years away. And in her mind, she is already standing there.