Gabby Thomas: Triple Olympic Champion Confirms Kip Keino Classic Debut Ahead of Africa Tour

Triple Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas has confirmed her participation at the 2026 Kip Keino Classic scheduled for Friday, April 24.

The former world 200m silver medallist shared a post on her X (Twitter) handle, highlighting the three events that she will be competing in before potentially competing for Team USA at the World Athletics Relays.

This marks the first time the American sprint queen will be competing in Africa, looking to stamp her authority as one of the best.

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Gabby Thomas will begin her campaign at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix in Ethiopia on April 18 before heading to the Kip Keino Classic on April 24.

The former world 4x100m relay champion will then be in action at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix on April 26.

Gabby Thomas has already opened her 2026 season, competing in the women’s 100m at the Texas Relays, where she equalled her personal best time of 11.00 seconds.

"One of the better season openers today," Gabby Thomas wrote on her social media handle after the race.

"Got the win at Texas Relays & tied my 100m PB in some cold and wet conditions. Having tons of fun. Still lots of work to do this season. Gonna keep chopping wood."

Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas was forced to withdraw from the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo due to a persistent Achilles tendon injury.

The injury, which had been a concern since May, worsened during the mid-season, leading Gabby Thomas and her coaching team to prioritise her long-term health over immediate competition.

Despite securing her spot by finishing third at the US Outdoor Championships in August, she officially announced her withdrawal just two weeks before the global event began in September.

Gabby Thomas expressed that while the decision was difficult, she recognised the need to "take care of herself" and listen to her body after a demanding Olympic cycle.

Her absence saw Melissa Jefferson-Wooden take the win as Great Britain’s Amy Hunt came in second. Jamaican sprint queen Amy Hunt completed the podium.