In Pictures: Gabby Thomas shares glimpses from her stunning 200m victory at U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials 2024

Two-time Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas cruised through the 200m finals of the US Olympic track and field trials on Saturday, June 29, to win a ticket to the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Thomas, the winner of a world championship gold and silver, is recognized as one of the fastest competitors globally in the 200m domain, ranking fourth in the world's fastest women's list in the discipline. Additionally, she holds the record for being the second-fastest 200m woman in the United States.

During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Thomas finished third in 200m to secure the bronze, and she was also part of the American team's 4 x 100m relay squad that won a silver at the event.

The Georgia native attended the US Olympic trials at Hayward Field Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, to confirm her seat on the American team for the Paris Olympics. Participating in the 200m event, Thomas won the semifinal with this year's world lead time of 21.78 seconds to advance into the final.

Coming into the finals on Saturday, the sprinter again blazed through Hayward Field, winning the race in 21.81 seconds, while Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long took second and third place on the podium with times of 21.90 seconds and 21.91 seconds, respectively. Sha'Carri Richardson finished in fourth place and will not be participating in the 200m event at the Games.

Following the victory, an emotional Gabby Thomas posted a series of pictures from the event on her Instagram handle. In these snippets, the runner could be seen shedding a few tears after the win. In one of the pictures, Thomas is hugging McKenzie Long as the two celebrate their qualification for the Paris Olympics. Furthermore, she shared a video of the race that showcases her athletic prowess in Eugene.

"I’M GOING TO THE OLYMPICS!!! Feeling a lot of emotions. I know a lot of people expected this for me, but this time feels different," Thomas wrote in the caption.

"This is a first step" - Gabby Thomas' views on the Paris Olympics

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 9

Gabby Thomas decided not to participate in the 400m discipline just ahead of the Olympic trials as she wanted to focus on her marquee 200m event. Going into her second consecutive Olympic event, the runner looked confident, and she had high hopes for the French event.

Talking about her Paris Olympics aspirations in the post-race interview, the 27-year-old stated (via Olympics.com):

"I knew I needed to get today done, and this is a first step. There was no gold medal in Paris without getting the job done today."

She also added that she was feeling ecstatic with the win and praised the efforts of her counterparts who raced alongside her.