Triple Olympic champion recently put her endurance to the test in a very different kind of challenge—one that took her taste buds to their absolute limits.
The sprinter, who took home three gold medals at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, decided to take on the hottest version of Nashville hot chicken offered by the famous Hattie B’s and the results were both painful and comical.
Thomas, a self-proclaimed lover of competition, is no stranger to pushing herself to new heights.
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But when it came to eating Hattie B’s legendary sandwich, the Texas native admitted she might have met her match.
At 3 million Scoville units, the sandwich is four times hotter than a habanero pepper and features a fiery mix of ghost pepper, habanero, and cayenne. Naturally, this challenge was right up Thomas’ alley.
“I love a challenge, so when I heard about Hattie B’s hottest chicken, I knew I had to try it,” Thomas said, as she kicked off her spicy adventure in a
“Go big or go home, right?”
Her followers were treated to an up-close view of Thomas’s first encounter with the intimidating sandwich.
With a confidence that mirrored her performances on the track, she dove in for her first bite—sans bread because, in her words, “Who needs the carbs, right?”
But it did not take long for the heat to hit her hard. Initially calm, Thomas quickly began to feel the burn as she struggled to keep her composure. Her eyes started to water and tears soon followed.
«It hurts so bad!» she exclaimed, barely able to keep from laughing through the pain.
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As more tears welled up, she looked directly into the camera, narrating her experience with a mix of shock and humor.
“I hope this doesn’t ruin my day,” she joked as she attempted to fan her mouth. At one point, she even had to take a break to cool off, taking big gulps of a beverage to calm the fiery sensation.
Despite her best efforts, the heat was relentless. Ththough, as she attempted to downplay the pain.
“I don’t know what the big deal is,” she said with a wry smile, though the steady stream of tears told a different story.
“It honestly wasn’t that bad,” she added, but by this point, her discomfort was obvious.
She finally gave in and pleaded with her team, “You can cut the camera now. I can’t talk.”
The chicken is notorious for being one of the spiciest items on any menu, and it’s not recommended for the faint of heart.
Combining some of the world’s hottest peppers, including the feared ghost pepper, the sandwich is a fiery experience that challenges even the bravest of food daredevils.
But if there is one thing Gabby Thomas has proven throughout her career, it’s that she won’t back down from a challenge—even when that challenge brings her to tears.
One viewer commented, «If Gabby Thomas can eat that and still keep going, we can all take on whatever life throws at us!»
Another chimed in, «She’s such a badass, even with tears in her eyes.»
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Though Thomas may have found herself temporarily defeated by the heat her willingness to try and the hilarious commentary she provided throughout the ordeal have only solidified her status as a fan favorite.