“I haven’t been able to train too much, which is kind of tough because I’m dealing with an Achilles issue,” admitted Gabby Thomas ahead of the Tokyo World Athletics Championships. Despite securing her spot, the American sprint queen made the difficult decision to withdraw, a choice born of self-preservation, not defeat. The persistent Achilles injury that shadowed her all season finally caught up, forcing her to press pause. “As an athlete, you always want to keep grinding, but sometimes you simply can’t outwork an injury.” With Thomas sidelined for a while, fans’ fears about her participation at Alexis Ohanian’s track and field event, Athlos, have sadly come true.

The three-time Olympic gold medalist was one of the first to sign up for Athlos last year, headlining the female-only track meet. When asked about her future, she revealed that her focus is on recovery rather than competing at Icahn Stadium in New York City on October 10, 2025. Thomas has decided to prioritize healing over racing, putting her long-term health and performance first. “I am definitely focused on taking care of the injury,” said Gabby Thomas on an Instagram Live back on September 10, which recently resurfaced thanks to a re-upload on YouTube by Bodega Track.

When asked if she had news to share on her potential next race, she further 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.”

Thomas has been nursing the Achilles injury since May, which then resurfaced in July. But even at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships on Aug. 3, Thomas didn’t look her best even as she secured her spot at Worlds with a third place finish in the 200m. Even her best time in the 200 this year–21.95–only puts her in fourth on the season’s leaderboard, with compatriots Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Mckenzie Long, and Julien Alfred all ahead of her.

But even an Olympic champion knows when to step back and let her body recover. The five-time Olympic medalist revealed her thoughts in the statement she put out, “I understand that it will be disappointing for some track fans to hear this news, but I’ve finally come to the realization that it’s OK to be human and take care of myself.”

Although Gabby Thomas won’t be competing at the Athlos New York event, she will still play a role as a member of the advisory board, alongside Sha’Chari Richardson and Tara Davis-Woodhall. So, what’s next for the athlete? Well, next year’s indoor season aside, she’s also looking way ahead.

“I am definitely training for LA 2028,” said Gabby Thomas, on her future plans

After Gabby Thomas’s Paris Olympic masterclass, where she claimed three gold medals in the 200m, 4×100 and 4×400 relays, she firmly established herself as one of America’s most versatile runners. Riding the high of a stellar 2024 season, expectations for 2025 were sky-high. Yet her Achilles injury halted her momentum. Still, short-term goals aren’t her focus; she’s aiming for something far bigger.

While speaking with Sports Illustrated before injury derailed her season, the athlete opened up about her future plans, “I am definitely training for LA 2028, and it takes me about four years to mentally prepare for that. But physically, I don’t start until about eight months out and now I’m training for World Championships in 2025.” 

When asked how she would feel competing on the biggest stage in the world of athletics, and that too on home soil, the athlete stated, “The gold medals, while they do add pressure, have given me a lot of confidence, [and] have truly shown me what I’m capable of.”

She further added, “So, I’m definitely looking forward to the next couple of years. The fact that LA 2028 is in America, in my home country, I just don’t think it could be wrapped more beautifully for me.” Should Thomas make it to LA, coupled with Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s recent ascendance, the women’s 100m and 200m at the next Olympics are shaping up to be a nailbiter between two Americans on home soil. What are your early predictions? Let us know in the comments below.