“Just disappears” - Gabby Thomas makes her feelings clear on track and field’s Olympic spotlight drawing parallels to her Tokyo journey

American track and field athlete Gabby Thomas shared her thoughts on the current interest in the sport of track and field, and whether there were any major differences in how popular the sport has become since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Thomas, aged 28, started her professional track career in 2018. According to NBC Olympics, she didn’t take the sport seriously until she watched former Olympian Allyson Felix at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200m race on television at her grandmother’s house. She has gone on to win the gold medal in the 200m (at the Paris Olympics), as well as a bronze medal (Tokyo Olympics).

At the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference, Thomas shared her thoughts on the attention track and field has garnered over the years:

"It's very interesting to see the world kind of stop for the Olympics and especially for track and field during these Olympic years, and for memean, my Olympic team in 2021 was the first US team that I had ever made and so I was like, 'Oh this is going to be great', and I kind of got a taste of what it was like to be a professional runner. (18:30 onwards)

"All eyes were on me and my teammates and it was so exciting. For the few months after the Olympics, that kind of remained steady and we were getting a lot of attention and excitement. Suddenly for the next season like all of that just disappears and I wouldn't say that I was surprised," Gabby Thomas said.

Thomas went on to say that she wasn't suprised as she wasn't following the sport and wasn't aware of any popular track and field athletes until she turned professional herself. She added that there are a great set of leaders in the sport right now who are actively trying to promote the sport.

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Gabby Thomas on being first American woman to win 200m at Olympics since idol Allyson Felix in 2012

Gabby Thomas at the 2024 Olympics - (Image via Getty)

Gabby Thomas became the first American woman to win the 200m gold medal at the Olympics since her idol, Allyson Felix, did the same at the 2012 London Olympics.

In an interview with Olympics.com, Thomas had this to say on the matter (in September 2024):

“Being the first woman to win the 200m gold since Allyson Felix in 2012 is such a great feeling because I have looked up to her for so long, ever since I was a child.”

Thomas also won gold in the women's 4 x 100m relay and the women's 4 x 400m relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics.