"Do I need to pursue this track thing full time?"- When Gabby Thomas opened up on struggling to balance neurobiology at Harvard with Athletics career

Gabby Thomas once revealed that she was contemplating quitting one of her passions between track and neurobiology during her time at the University of Harvard. The two-time Olympian eventually settled for both before winning Olympic gold medals and earning a Masters degree as well.

While Thomas was born in Atlanta, Georgia, she moved to Western Massachusetts when her now-professor mother Jennifer Randall relocated for her PhD. The 27-year-old attended Williston Northampton school, where her academic and track and field excellence earned her a place at Harvard.

However, the two-time Olympian struggled with managing both of her passions in her first year of college. Speaking about her journey in an interview with Harvard Varsity Club in February 2022, she said:

"My freshman year, I really struggled with it. We had so many sessions where he just had to talk it out with eachother, we prayed together and just had to go through it. It was very very tough but ultimately, I did end up getting my footing." [10:52 onwards]

The five-time Olympic medalist added that her quandary reached a point where she was contemplating quitting one of her passions.

“But it was balancing all those things and I I felt like I almost became resentful a little bit at times just because I felt like I wasn't able to commit fully to both of those things that I wanted to do and two things that I was really passionate about and it became this source of tension for me. Do I need to decide between doing neurobiology for full time or do I need to like pursue thing track thing full time?,” Gabby Thomas recalled. [11:44 onwards]

However, by the start of her third year, the 27-year-old had adapted well and was ready to shine in both.

“And I think it was after my sophomore year, when I finally realized that I didn't have to choose one or the other. And as long as I was enjoying what I was doing, then I can have both,” she added.

Thomas would finish her third year at Harvard with a staggering 22 conference titles before turning pro in October 2018. She signed a long-term deal with New Balance, foregoing her one year of eligibility left.

---

“I feel so fulfilled” - Gabby Thomas on volunteering at a health clinic while competing for Olympic medals

38th Annual Footwear News Achievement Awards - Gabby Thomas in attendance (Source: Getty)

After graduating from Harvard, Gabby Thomas also did a master's degree in public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Following the completion of her degree in 2023, the 27-year-old has been volunteering at a healthcare clinic, an experience she termed fulfilling.

"I get to go to the clinic and volunteer and make a difference in people's lives," Gabby Thomas told Olympics.com. "So I feel so fulfilled, and I feel so passionate about everything I do. And [that all] really just comes from gratitude."

The three-time Olympic champion competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics and won three gold medals in women's 200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay. She is also planning to pursue a PhD, or at least her mother is insisting on her.