Olympic Champion Gabby Thomas made it look effortless at the Texas Invitational, gliding past her competitors with a smooth start, commanding the race by the 60-meter mark, and cruising to victory in 11.02 seconds (with a +1.0 wind). Though she fell just short of breaking the elusive 11-second barrier, her dominance was clear, with Cambrea Sturgis (11.15) and Semira Killebrew (11.29) trailing behind.
A fast but windy breakthrough
Just days after her strong showing in Texas, Thomas shifted from her usual long sprints, where she recently claimed a Grand Slam title in the 200m with 22.62 and set a 400m PB of 49.14, to the short sprints in Miami. The 100m field was stacked with speed. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden blazed to a wind-aided 10.76, followed by Tamari Davis (10.79) and Favour Ofili (10.94).
Gabby Thomas finally cracked the sub-11 mark, clocking 10.97—her fastest of the season. But the +2.4 wind rendered it unofficial, and her fourth-place finish left her visibly frustrated.
She took to X (formerly Twitter) with a mix of pride and disappointment.
“nvm I tweeted this before I ran another windy sub 11.”
Her earlier post—“ugh I love running sm”—now carried a bittersweet tone.
For an athlete of her caliber, breaking the barrier without it counting—and missing the podium—was a tough pill to swallow.
The road ahead
Despite the setback, Thomas remains a serious contender for the Grand Slam Track title. Her 5-point haul from the 100m keeps her in the hunt, but the real opportunity lies in the 200m—her signature event.
As the reigning U.S. champion and Olympic medalist, Gabby Thomas is a force in the half-lap race. With the 200m still unraced in this series, a win (worth 12 points) would catapult her to 17 points total, putting her right back in the title conversation. The 200m could be her moment to reclaim dominance.
