For many athletes, winning an Olympic medal is the pinnacle of success—a tangible reward for years of dedication, hard work, and sacrifice. However, for Gabby Thomas, success goes beyond the physical weight of a medal. Despite already having multiple gold medals to her name, she wants her legacy to extend beyond just accolades.
As the 2028 Olympic cycle gets underway, Thomas is focused on adding even more achievements to her career. In a recent interview with TIME, she shared her thoughts on what medals mean to her, stating, “The medals are truly just objects for me.” This perspective is surprising given her impressive track record of five Olympic medals and a World Championship gold. However, it reveals the depth of her ambition and her relentless drive to succeed.
She further emphasized her mindset, saying, “I don’t look at them and genuinely feel like, ‘Oh my God, those are so cool.’ I genuinely feel like I’m not done yet.” Despite winning three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Thomas believes her journey is far from over. She added, “I’m still on my journey. I’m still in that process. I have so many more to come.”
While discussions about her possible retirement after the next Olympics continue, Thomas has expressed her excitement about competing in Los Angeles. She stated, “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.” This has led to speculation about whether the 2028 Games will mark the end of her career. However, Thomas also has other goals beyond the track.
As she prepares for 2025, she is determined to make it another landmark year in her career. After an outstanding performance in 2024, where she won three gold medals in Paris, she also participated in Athlos NYC 2024—a special women-only track event created by Alexis Ohanian. In that competition, she secured a silver medal with a time of 22.21 seconds, finishing just behind Brittany Brown, who took gold with 22.18 seconds.
Her next major challenge will be the upcoming Grand Slam Track (GST) event in 2025, where she will compete in the 200m dash alongside Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Quincy Hall. The GST is scheduled to begin on April 4 in Kingston and will conclude on June 29 in Los Angeles.
Beyond that, Thomas is also eyeing a major goal—winning her first world title in the 200m event. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, she earned a silver medal in the 200m race, and now she is determined to claim gold. Additionally, she will be looking to defend her 4x100m relay gold. With the 2025 World Championships taking place in Tokyo in September, she has ample time to prepare.
Another key event on her calendar is the next edition of the Athlos NYC event, which comes with a $60,000 prize for the winner. While the exact dates are yet to be announced, it is expected to take place around April, based on the previous year’s schedule. Additionally, she will be competing in the Diamond League qualifiers, adding even more excitement to her season.
As Thomas gears up for these major competitions, speculation about her possible retirement after LA 2028 continues to build. However, for now, her focus remains on the present. With the Grand Slam Track event marking its debut and her upcoming races promising intense competition, fans eagerly await her performances in 2025.