Gabby Thomas hilariously enacted in a viral TikTok trend, which claimed that a coach should limit athletes from running over 150m. Thomas made waves in the 2024 track season, winning gold medals in the 200m, 4x100m, and 4x400m relay events.
After winning two medals at the 2023 World Championships, Thomas competed at the US Olympic trials to secure qualification in her second Olympic Games in Paris. She won her first Olympic gold in the 200m and topped it up with two more wins in the relay events, walking home as the most successful Paris Olympic track athlete.
Thomas then shifted her attention to the first edition of Athlos NYC, running the 200m alongside her fellow Olympians. However, she faded to second as US sprinter Brittany Brown soared to victory in the event.
On November 12, 2024, the three-time Olympic gold medalist hopped on the 'This wasn't I' viral TikTok trend, hilariously silencing the claim that a coach shouldn't ideally make an athlete run over 150m.
"As a coach we should never make any athlete run river 150m ever!!! It is abuse we do."
Gabby Thomas panned the camera toward her, wittily saying 'oh shoot' since she specializes in the 200m and 400m.
Her TikTok video caption read:
"simply too far!!!"
On November 10, 2024, the 27-year-old recalled the first instance on the track that made her aware of her speed.
"I have always known that I was fast, just because I always used to beat the little boys on the playground," she said.
When a junior in college, she realized that her ability on the track could challenge global sprinters.
"I realized that I was really fast my junior of college. I had to have been 20 years old when I won my first NCAA title. And I realized that I could run with the fastest women in the world," she added.
Gabby Thomas on prioritizing mental health while competing as a professional track athlete
Balancing medical studies with track, Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas viewed the latter as a part-time pursuit. Even now, she volunteers at healthcare facilities to help people without insurance, while continuing to make waves on the global stage.
In a June 2024 interview with NBC, Thomas emphasized how juggling other professions has positively impacted her mental health.
"The way I became successful in track and field was basically running track part time. And I think for me that’s really important for my mental health, just having other things in my life that helped fulfill, you know, my goals and make me feel fulfilled," she said.
The Olympian also mentioned drawing inspiration from her mother, who raised her kids single-handedly by taking classes to become a professor while also waitressing.