07/25/26 04:00:00
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07/25 15:59 CDT Healthy again, Gabby Thomas explains why she's skipping US
nationals --- and loving it
Healthy again, Gabby Thomas explains why she's skipping US nationals --- and
loving it
By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer
Gabby Thomas, one of the deepest thinkers in track, chose to view herself as
"healing" instead of "injured" last year.
That, in short, is how the Olympic gold medalist --- slowed, then eventually
stopped by an aching Achilles tendon --- made it through a frustrating 2025 and
turned it into a much more interesting and successful 2026.
"You are setting up to come back even better," Thomas said of the change in
mindset about being hurt. "And every time that I've had an injury, I've always
come back stronger and better and faster. So that was what I was thinking, and
then, just staying focused."
The 29-year-old Thomas, who won the 200 meters at the Paris Games two years ago
and is ramping up for a repeat attempt two years from now in Los Angeles, is
not competing at this weekend's U.S. track championships in New York. She said
it is not a signal that she is hurting.
In one of the interesting twists of 2026 --- the middle year of the Olympic
cycle that's always a little quirky for track --- nationals did not fit into
her Diamond League and international schedule. She's doing just fine there,
with five sub-22 second runs this season, which gives her 20 for her career ---
the most by any woman at the distance.
She traveled to New York to cheer on some of her teammates sponsored by Toyota,
which arranged this interview.
Among the highlights coming up for Thomas will be the World Athletics Ultimate
Championships, where $150,000 first prizes are available, and more races at
Athlos, the all-women league founded by Alexis Ohanian that is heading into its
third year with a growing roster of runners, including Friday night's 100-meter
champion, Sha'Carri Richardson.
Athlos' second meet of the year will be in October at Icahn Stadium on New
York's Randall's Island, the same place where nationals are this weekend.
Thomas also is planning a wedding. Last spring, she got engaged to onetime Yale
quarterback Spencer McManes (Thomas went to Harvard) and they'll get married in
October at a location she did not divulge. Planning a wedding in the middle of
track season?
"It's not challenging," she said. "I always say, you make time for what you
care about and what you want to do, so if you love it, you'll do it."
She takes that mindset into her off-the-track life, where she still has plans
for a career in women's health once the running stops. Thomas studied
neurobiology and public health as an undergrad, then got a master's degree in
public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.
"As a female athlete and really understanding the gaps in women's healthcare
and how underfunded and how undersuited it is, there's a lot of room for
improvement," Thomas said. "I see myself being a part of that and narrowing
that gap quite naturally. I think I will have to go back to school. I would
definitely welcome that."
Through much of 2025, Thomas was vocal about combating a growing trend of
online harassment of female athletes by bettors. Earlier this week, she went on
social media and doubled down on that, saying only one demographic of people
harass her, "and it's never women."
Off the track, Thomas is reading a few books by Bell Hooks, a philosopher and
author who wrote extensively about race and feminism, that have reminded one of
the world's greatest sprinters that there's more to life than track. In a way,
it might help explain how Thomas --- healthy again --- can be sitting out of
nationals but still loving every minute of it.
"It's so easy to get very, very involved and tied into track and to make that
your identity, especially at my level," she said. "It's been a nice reminder to
think about who I am off the track, what I love, who I want to be."
Around the track
World 200-meter champion Noah Lyles showed no signs of fatigue when he won his
first-round heat Saturday in 20.51 seconds. Just over 18 hours earlier, he took
gold in the 100. Brandon Hicklin had the fastest time in 20.43.
Reigning world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden posted the top time (22.50) in
the opening round of the women's 200 race.
Both finals are Sunday.
___
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
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