Gabby Thomas celebrates her win in the women’s 200 meter final during the US Olympic Track and Field Team Trials. Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Gabby Thomas attempts ‘spiciest’ hot chicken sandwich with comical results

Originally posted on The Athlete Lifestyle on SI
By Matt Ryan | Last updated Oct 3, 2024 4:30 PM ET

Gabby Thomas is a world-class athlete who enjoys a challenge. She thrives on competition as evident by her three gold at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

Thomas has already linked up once with Hot Ones host Sean Evans for a “spicy” photo, so naturally she needed to take on a hot challenge.

The Texas native, who can make anything look good, took on a hot chicken challenge for the first time and didn’t back down. After trying it, though, maybe she had some regrets.

Thomas, who is back home in Austin, went to the famous Nashville hot chicken spot Hattie B’s. There, she ate the hottest version they offer, the Shut the Cluck Up!!! She posted the whole event on TikTok, and took on the mantra “Go big or go home.”

The first bite (without the bread because who needs the carbs, right?):

She waited for the burn and then it hit:

The tears soon followed:

And then more tears welled up.

Thomas finally had to try and cool off the burn:

The sandwich really isn’t for the faint of heart. The Shut the Cluck Up chicken is about 3 million Scoville units hot. This is four times hotter than a habanero pepper! The spice STCU is a mixture of ghost, habanero, cayenne, and some other peppers, but mostly the feared ghost pepper. Hopefully she immediately washed her hands or that could’ve ended horribly.

Thomas was visibly in pain, yet hilariously narrated the whole thing, exclaiming “It hurts so bad!”, and “I hope this doesn’t ruin my day.” Towards the end she said, “You can cut the camera now. I can’t talk.” She tried to say “I don’t know what the big deal is,” and “It honestly wasn’t that bad,” as more tears came. She was obviously joking about it not being bad as she gulped a beverage down after.

Regardless, she did the hot chicken challenge and lived to tell about it. That’s one tough girl and a fierce competitor who won’t back down. Respect.

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This article first appeared on The Athlete Lifestyle on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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