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Gabby Thomas, the 29-year-old gold medalist in the 200 meters from the Paris Olympics, will not compete at this weekend’s U.S. track championships in New York. The absence does not signal an ongoing health concern for the accomplished sprinter, who spent much of 2025 managing an Achilles tendon injury that she has since described as part of a healing process rather than a setback.
Thomas’ decision to skip nationals reflects strategic scheduling choices rather than physical limitations. Her competition calendar prioritizes Diamond League events and international races that align with her preparation for a Los Angeles Olympic return in two years. This season, she has already achieved five sub-22 second performances in the 200 meters, bringing her career total to 20 such runs—more than any other woman at the distance.
The middle year of the Olympic cycle presents unique scheduling challenges for track athletes, and Thomas has navigated the quirks by focusing on high-profile competitions including the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, which offers $150,000 first-place prizes. She is also competing in Athlos, the women-only track league founded by entrepreneur Alexis Oharian that is entering its third year with an expanding roster of elite runners.
Beyond athletics, Thomas is preparing for her October wedding to Spencer McManes, a former Yale quarterback. The Harvard-educated athlete emphasized that balancing wedding planning with her track schedule requires only the commitment of making time for priorities. She travels to New York this weekend to support teammates sponsored by Toyota while the nationals take place.
Thomas has maintained vocal advocacy against online harassment of female athletes by bettors throughout 2025 and into 2026. Off the track, she continues studying philosophy and exploring her future career in women’s health, having earned a master’s degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston and an undergraduate degree in neurobiology and public health.
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