"If you lose a meet, you go home with debt" - Gabby Thomas reacts to lack of prize money in track and field event

Gabby Thomas is an integral member of Team USA in track and field sports in international events. Prize money plays a huge part in athletes deciding to compete in particular meets as it is also essential for athletes. Gabby Thomas has reacted to the lack of prize money in the sport of track and field.

Christopher Clarey, New York Times best-selling author and a tennis writer for more than 30 years posted a tweet on X (previously Twitter) revealing the prize money earned by tennis players when they lose on round one in majors.

He posted prize money for the Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and US Open.

"Good to see this keep going up. It's not more money for losers but fair reward for those good enough to get into a major," Clarey tweeted.

Retweeting Christopher's tweet, Gabby Thomas wrote that if one loses a meet in track and field event then they have to go home with debt. She also added a laughing emoji towards the end of her tweet.

"In track & field if you lose a meet, you go home with debt 😂," she wrote.

Another X user asked Gabby Thomas to elaborate on her statement, whether she has to pay if she loses a meet.

Responding to the X user's question, the American sprinter replied:

"For a lot of athletes you have to pay for your own travel to meets, and if you lose, you don’t make enough money to cover the travel expenses :/ factor in coach travel too"

From Thomas' statements, it's clear that she is frustrated with less prize money in track and field events. But in another twist to this conversation regarding less prize money in track and field events, Kyle Sockwell, the YouTuber who is famous for his content regarding swimming posted information regarding the prize money awarded to swimmers in individual events and also the prize money awarded to athletes in relay events.

Enclosing the comparison of prize money, Kyle Sockwell stated that the World Athletics Championships purse makes swimming look like an unpaid internship.

"The World Athletic Championship purse makes swimming look like an unpaid internship…," he wrote.

Even though Kyle Sockwell didn't mention or tag Gabby Thomas, the timing of his tweet looks like it is related to the American sprinter's tweet regarding less prize money in track and field events.

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What are the events in which Gabby Thomas will compete at the 2023 World Athletics Championships?

The 2023 World Athletics Championships is set to begin on August 19 and conclude on August 27. Gabby Thomas will represent Team USA in the women's 200m event.

She will represent the USA in the 200m alongside Sha'Carri Richardson and Kayla White. The heats of the women's 200m will be held on Day 5 (August 23) of the 2023 World Athletics Championships. The semifinals of the 200m will be held the next day - August 24. Finals of women's 200m will be held on August 25.

According to the entry list released by World Athletics, the 200m event looks stacked with several top sprinters which includes Gabby Thomas, Sha'Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, Kayla White, Twanisha Terry, Shericka Jackson, and Dina Asher-Smith.

So, Thomas has to perform better than her gold medal-winning time in the women's 200m at the 2023 USA National Track and Field Outdoor Championships.