It’s been five long years since Gabby Thomas has been agonizingly close to breaking the 11-second mark in the 100m. From 11.00s at the 2021 Olympic Trials to a wind-illegal 10.80s in 2022, the milestone has repeatedly slipped through her fingers. And now in 2026, she’s missed it once again. But Thomas is not shying away; she’s finally addressing her awkward moment.

This time, Gabby Thomas crossed the line fully convinced she had finally cracked her sub-11 barrier at the 2026 Texas Relays. So much so that the 29-year-old even started celebrating after crossing the finish line, jumping up and down with joy etched on her face. But alas…

Unfortunately, as it turns out, Thomas had clocked in at an exact 11.00 seconds once again, equaling her personal best. Left with an odd feeling, she couldn’t help but share:

“Equaled my PB on a cold and rainy day though, so I’ll take it,” Gabby Thomas wrote on X, accepting her miss.

She also called it “One of the better season openers today” and promised that she is “Gonna keep chopping wood.”

The last time Thomas matched her 11.00 personal best was at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials. She has chased that mark ever since, posting 11.08 in 2023 and 11.34 in 2024, then coming within two-hundredths twice in 2025.

Those near-misses underscore her knack for razor-thin finishes. At the 2025 USATF Championships, Thomas ran 22.20 in the 200m to edge Brittany Brown by thousandths of a second, underscoring her ability to deliver in close races.

However, given the conditions in Austin, it marked an impressive return to the track for the American, especially after her long injury layoff. She had missed the last eight months of racing, nursing an Achilles injury suffered in May 2025, around the time she set a personal best in the 400m. It forced her to miss the Tokyo World Championships later that year, and she opted to skip the indoor season as well to focus on training.

Despite it being her season opener, the 29-year-old finished comfortably in first place to win the Women’s 100m Invitational, with Nayla Harris clocking in at 11.24 for second and Cambrea Sturgis at 11.26 for third. Yet, while Thomas was frustrated at not breaking beyond the 11-second mark, she has her eyes on the big picture.

Gabby Thomas reflects on social media after matching her personal best

The 29-year-old is set to race in a few events in 2026, including the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in September, although her focus there will be the 200m. She earned automatic qualification as the 2024 Olympic gold medalist in the discipline and confirmed earlier this month that she would be racing at the meet.

That is despite Gabby Thomas revealing that her plan for 2026 was to focus on the 400m and have a little fun, as she would use the “off year” to experiment. Thomas also took to Instagram in her post-race update to show she was still focusing on the bigger picture.

“One of the better season openers today – got the win at Texas Relays & tied my 100m PB in some cold and wet conditions,” Thomas wrote on Instagram. “Having tons of fun. Still lots of work to do this season. Gonna keep chopping wood & a little commotion for the kit?! 💜💛”

In the end, while the sub-11 barrier remains just out of reach, Gabby Thomas’ season opener showed that she is right on the cusp of breaking through. With her confidence intact and momentum building, the American looks set to make steady strides as the season progresses. And if this race was any indication, it may only be a matter of time before that long-awaited milestone finally falls.