Bound for Japan and ready to light up the World Championships, Gabby Thomas’ dream came crashing down when she revealed her lingering Achilles injury hadn’t healed as hoped. “I haven’t been able to train too much, which is kind of tough because I’m dealing with an Achilles issue,” she had admitted earlier. While the setback has sidelined her for the better half of 2025, the Olympic gold medalist isn’t backing down; she’s healing, rebuilding, and hungrier than ever to make her comeback count.

With the World Championships now in the rearview mirror, Gabby Thomas has officially wrapped up her 2025 season, but she’s far from slowing down. The Olympic champion recently took to Instagram, trading the track for a fitness challenge that’s been taking over social media. In a lively video post, Thomas revealed she’s joining forces with 400m hurdles standout Bianca Stubler to tackle the viral “Impossible Mile” Challenge, proving that even in the offseason, her competitive fire refuses to fade.

Many may not be familiar with the “Impossible Mile” Challenge. It is a grueling four-part test of endurance and strength completed back-to-back, designed by Eric Hinman, an entrepreneur and hybrid endurance athlete known for his rigorous training methods. It includes 400 meters of burpee broad jumps to build explosive power, 400 meters of walking lunges to test lower-body stability, 400 meters of bear crawls to push upper-body and core strength, and finally, a 400-meter run to empty the tank. The ultimate goal: complete all four segments consecutively and as fast as possible.

Bianca and Gabby took on the full 400m Impossible Mile Challenge, from grueling burpee broad jumps and walking lunges to an exhausting finish. Despite battling an Achilles injury, Gabby Thomas powered through, completing it in an impressive 1 hour and 9 minutes. In the comments, Bianca cheekily wrote, “Sub 45 mins??, a playful jab that Gabby was quick to acknowledge, hinting there might just be a rematch in the works.

Thomas captioned the post with a message to the fans as well as herself, as she wrote, “When you remember you have free will, might try this one again once my Achilles is feeling better. Who else would try this??” The three-time Olympic gold medalist hasn’t revealed any concrete plans for her comeback yet, but signs suggest her recovery is going smoothly. In fact, there’s growing speculation that she could return even before the new season begins. The real question now is, will we see her back in action at the upcoming Athlos event?

Will Gabby Thomas compete at Alex Ohanian’s Athlos?

Gabby Thomas was one of the very first to sign up for the Athlos last year, headlining the all-women’s track meet. However, she will not be a part of this year’s event, which is set to take place at Icahn Stadium in New York City on October 10, 2025, putting long-term performance above short-term glory. “I am definitely focused on taking care of the injury,” said Gabby Thomas during an Instagram Live on September 10.

When the athlete was asked about her potential comeback, she added, “I just started rehab, so sadly I won’t be running at Athlos, but I will be there and I will be meeting and talking to everybody there since I’m not running. It’s the least I can do. So I’ll be there for sure. Outside of that, probably indoors, because I won’t be able to finish up my outdoor season. I’ll do indoors. I’ll probably be at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston at the end of January.”

The Olympic gold medalist hasn’t commented on her return yet, but her recent actions suggest that her injury is improving and a comeback could be on the horizon. With optimism still alive, the question remains: when will Thomas step back into the arena?