Gabby Thomas, the current Olympic 200m champion, faced a tough 2025 season dealing with an Achilles tendon injury. This ultimately led her to pull out of the World Championships. She currently concentrates on her rehabilitation and gears up for a full comeback in the 2026 season. However, amid recovery, she has found a unique way to channel her competitive spirit.

Thomas showed her passion for the sport by hyping up her fellow sprinters, especially world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and motivating her as she moves into her next chapter. “There is always a fire for me,” Thomas told Olympics.com. “When you see your competitors doing something special, it pushes you. Iron sharpens iron.”

She talked about the amazing talent in American women’s sprinting, saying, “And I’ve been in the midst of very intense, incredible competitors since I got into the sport. The women in our sport are incredibly talented and have been traditionally. I think we’re all just making each other better. And yeah, I mean… there’s definitely some competitive energy.”

For Gabby Thomas, catching Jefferson-Wooden’s incredible 2025 season was a huge boost of motivation. Absolutely, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had an unforgettable season in 2025. As Thomas was healing from her Achilles injury, Jefferson-Wooden pulled off something truly remarkable.

During the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, she pulled off an amazing feat by winning gold in both the 100 meters and the 200 meters, completing the coveted sprint double. She clocked in at 10.61 seconds in the 100m, which not only won her the world title but also shattered the previous Championship Record, making her the fourth-fastest woman ever.

She really solidified her status by snagging a third gold medal in the 4x100m relay, pulling off a rare sprint triple that puts her right up there with the all-time greats of the sport. The competitive push for Thomas comes not only from Jefferson-Wooden but also from the collective might of her relay teammates and training partners.

This is the group that will push Gabby Thomas to further heights

Just like Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Sha’Carri Richardson really stood out as a strong competitor all season long, especially after becoming the 2023 world champion in the 100m.

Richardson also took on the iconic anchor leg for the winning 4x100m relay team in Tokyo, edging out Jamaica by just 0.04 seconds, showcasing the shared success that really defines this group. The relay quartet, which features Twanisha Terry, is a close group, with a few members training together under coach Dennis Mitchell.

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Looking back on their success in the relay, Richardson shared some kind words about their coach, saying, “I would say his coaching style is something that all of us have never experienced before, not just as a coach but as a person. He teaches us as people, he teaches us as athletes, and he takes care of everything that you wouldn’t even think you need as an athlete.”

She went on to say, “So I give the utmost respect to Green Machine (Mitchell), our coach Chareif (Lewis), and they’re always creative. They come up with things that other coaches, I know for sure, would never think of. And I’m thinking about fall training right now, so… but they’re amazing coaches, and they’re always going to set the bar high.”

With Thomas gearing up for her comeback, it looks like we’re in for one of the most captivating stories in sports. To get back to the top of the podium, she’s going to have to face off against the athletes who have really stepped up while she was away. As we look ahead to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, it’s exciting to see the fierce yet supportive competition among Team USA’s women’s sprint corps. This dynamic is sure to push everyone to reach new heights.