Gabby Thomas with an impressive achievement in the 200m at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix

Gabby Thomas had the fastest sprint performance at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix in Texas, winning the women’s 200m in 21.70 sec (+0.7 m/s). It was the first race of the 2026 World Athletics Gold Continental Tour to be held in the United States.

The American sprinter’s time was better than the one she used to win the Olympic title in 2024 and was just 0.10 sec off her personal best set in 2023. She convincingly beat compatriot Kayla White, who finished in 22.07 sec, and Nigeria’s Favour Ofili, who took third place in 22.15 sec.

“I was a little surprised by the time, but I’ve been training hard”, said Gabby Thomas, who also ran her first sub-11-second 100m in a fair wind before the race. “I had a great little tour in Africa and now all the hard work is paying off. I’m enjoying the ‘lighter’ year where there’s no pressure from the Olympics or the World Championships, so I’m just having fun this season”, added she.

Gabby Thomas has redefined what it means to be a modern sports icon. Renowned for her incredible closing speed on the track, Thomas solidified her legendary status at the 2024 Paris Olympics by capturing three gold medals in the 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m relays. With a breathtaking personal best of 21.60 seconds in the 200m, she stands as the fourth-fastest woman in history.

However, her achievements extend far beyond the running track. Breaking the mold of the traditional professional athlete, Thomas graduated from Harvard University in 2019 with a degree in neurobiology and global health. Driven by a passion to fix racial disparities in healthcare, she later earned a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Texas while simultaneously training for the Olympic games.

From overcoming a benign liver tumor scare just before the 2021 Olympic trials to dominating the global stage, Thomas exemplifies resilience. Whether she is clocking world-leading sprint times or advocating for healthcare equity, Gabby Thomas continues to prove that excellence knows no boundaries.