Gabby Thomas exclusive: On her mother, her education and the enduring power of sport - 'You can achieve anything you want to'
By Nick McCarvel5 min|
Picture by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images for the USOPC
Having finished her master's degree in public health with a concentration in epidemiology last May, Gabby Thomas' mother would like for her to get her PhD next.
"I think we're gonna put that on hold for a little while," Thomas told Olympics.com in a recent exclusive interview, breaking into a smile. "And focus on my Olympic dreams right now."
Thomas, 27, is one of those how-do-they-do-it-all people. She studied neurobiology and global health at Harvard for her undergrad, and after moving to Austin to train and attend the University of Texas for her masters, she also volunteers at a health care clinic, where she has done field work for her degree.
"I think I'm just so grateful to get to do what I love," said Thomas. "I think about it all the time, and even after a hard day at the track, when I'm tired and wheezing from practice, I'm just like, 'I'm so grateful to be doing what I love and to be able to do it for a living.'
"And then I get to go to the clinic and volunteer and make a difference in people's lives," she added. "So I feel so fulfilled, and I feel so passionate about everything I do. And [that all] really just comes from gratitude."
Thomas is the reigning Olympic bronze medallist in the 200 metres, while also earning the silver at the World Championships in that same event last August. This week (27-30 June), she'll look to make her second Olympic team at the U.S. Trials in Eugene, Oregon, among a crowded American field which is set to also feature 100m champion Sha'Carri Richardson.
But what others might see as "distractions," Thomas' busy-as-can-be schedule is exactly what keeps her sharp.
"It's kind of a balancing act; but that's the way I like it," she said. "I like coming home from track and having something completely different to focus on. And when I'm doing my clinic work, I can't wait to get back to the track."
When Gabby was 10, her mother, Jennifer Randall, moved the family to Massachusetts so that she could finish her own PhD while teaching. It was these bold choices by her mum that Thomas said she was watching closely, and picking up on, as she began her own journey into athletics - and adulthood.
"I think watching her as I was growing up and how hard she worked, that's impacted me in ways that I probably can't even recognise," Thomas told Olympics.com. "Watching her be a single parent without two pennies to scrub together and working her way up and to being what she is now, a successful professor living out her dreams and starting a non-profit to help people get education... I mean, that was a lot to watch."
"It really showed me what true work ethic was, and it showed me that you can achieve your dreams through hard work... [through that] and anything is possible," Thomas added.
Thomas said as her athletic achievements grew, her mother kept reminding her of the importance of education. Today, Gabby sees that as the key that has helped unlock so many levels of success on the track: A continued grounding in bettering herself off of it, too.
"Education was a way to level the playing field, so that's kind of how I have tackled everything in my entire life," Thomas said. "And it's gotten me to where I am today. I think I am following in the footsteps of my mum."
Thomas has appreciated her opportunity to live out those values passed on from her mother, first as a student and an athlete, and now as an Olympian... she hopes twice over.
"That's why I love sports and I love competing as an Olympian," she said. "Because it builds that character and you get to live out those values. And it has brought me success in other aspects of my life, too. When I'm thinking about my education and whatever else I want to pursue, I feel confident that I can do it because I do have those values instilled in me. I know that if I work really hard, I can achieve what I want to. I have that confidence and resilience that you really gain through the sport experience."
"And it permeates to everything. So I love sports and I love what it's taught me."
Thomas surely wants to head to next month's Olympic Games Paris 2024, for a second Games, but regardless, she's using her platform to send a message to youngsters out there: You can do it, too.
"This is a message to all the younger girls who are watching, especially the young women of colour," she said. "Just know that the world might try to put you down, but the sky is the limit for you. You can achieve anything that you want to do - so just keep going."
