"When I got to the starting blocks, I had already won the race" - Gabby Thomas on winning 200m gold at Paris Olympics 

One of Gabby Thomas' three gold medals at the Paris Olympics 2024 came in the women's 200m race. She recently spoke about envisioning her win ahead of the race which gave her the confidence to perform at a high level on the biggest stage.

Thomas clocked 21.83s to win her first individual Olympic gold medal. 100m champion Julien Alfred of St. Lucia took home the silver after clocking 22.08s, while USA's Brittany Brown won the bronze with a time of 22.20s.

Thomas put forward a dominating performance to finish first. The 27-year-old was considered a top prospect for the gold medal along with Jamaica's Shericka Jackson, who withdrew from the heats.

Off to a strong start, Gabby Thomas took the lead after the curve toward the home stretch to win the Olympic title. Appearing on 'The Daily Show,' the athlete recently shared how she mentally prepared for the race.

"Truthfully, I had been envisioning myself winning that race over and over again the entire time that I was in Paris. So in my head, when I got to the starting blocks, I had already won the race. I believed that I was the Olympic Champion. But, the true moment that I realized that I had won was coming off the curve," Thomas said.

"Anyone who watches my track career knows that I finish my races strongly and the last 100m is my bread and butter. So if I can come off the first 100m ahead, I kind of, I know that I have won the race," she added.

Gabby Thomas on developing self-confidence for Paris Olympics

Gabby Thomas - Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 15 - Source: Getty

In an interview with CBS, Gabby Thomas reiterated that she started believing she was the winner at the Paris Olympics even before arriving. The American recalled imagining herself winning the race at the quadrennial event multiple times. She said (via the CBS Mornings YouTube channel):

"I am building my self-talk. I'm building my confidence in that moment. I am telling myself that I am already the Olympic champion. I wrote down over and over every morning, while I was in Paris, that I will be the Olympic champion - in my notes app - over and over and I envisioned the race all day, every day, imagining myself winning and crossing the line in front." [1:00]

Thomas concluded her Paris Olympics campaign with three gold medals (200m, 4x100m relay, and 4x400m relay), making her one of the most decorated track athletes of the event.