Record-setting Olympic track star Gabby Thomas is on a speedy quest to break down barriers and make up for lost time (Presented by Cadillac)
Sports Illustrated and Empower Onyx are putting the spotlight on the diverse journeys of Black women across sports—from the veteran athletes, to up-and-coming stars, coaches, executives and more—in the series,The sky over Austin is a gloomy slate, but Gabby Thomas couldn’t be in a sunnier mood after thundering through an afternoon workout that would’ve had anyone else scraping themselves off the tarmac.
“That’s kinda the whole goal of the sport, right, to push your body to its limit and teach your nervous system to be overstimulated,” Thomas says. “I can set it to a certain speed that we’re targeting, and also do that with the proper mechanics and not get injured. It was actually really, really great today. The fastest I’ve ever done it.”
Last July, after a COVID-19-imposed delay, Thomas made her debut at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., and blazed through the 200 in 21.61 seconds—the third-fastest time in history. Weeks later at the Tokyo Games, she replaced Sha’Carri Richardson on the anchor leg of Team USA’s 4X100 meter relay team and sealed a silver medal behind a season-best time of 41.45.
“I didn’t plan on running professional track,” says Thomas, who went on to set NCAA records while winning 22 Ivy League titles in three years. “Everything I did was just led by my passions, and not following what everybody else was doing. Even at Harvard when everyone was focused on certain career paths, I was not focused on that. I was still loving track and fueled by passion for it. That’s what led me here.
As the track and field season shut down along with the rest of sports, Thomas, who had moved primarily to prepare for the Olympics, wondered how much longer she’d have to train “for absolutely nothing.” When the Olympics finally did happen last year, she traveled to Tokyo without the usual entourage of family and friends to cheer her on, in accordance with Japan’s safety protocols.
In addition to that burden, Thomas also reckons with constant critiques of her body, whether it be from insiders scrutinizing her muscle composition or fans side-eying her makeup. But it’s only increased her urgency to advocate for Black girls that may follow in her footsteps. In 2019, Thomas became the first woman sprinter to sign with New Balance, best known for outfitting distance runners.body type, from the way it sits on the hip, to how it’s giving in the back.
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