Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas is moving full speed ahead. With only a few months left until the 2024 Summer Olympics, hosted in Paris, the New Balance athlete is in the height of her preparation.
“By the time you get to the Olympics, you want to be at your top peak performance, physically, mentally, emotionally. Everything we do is gearing up for that one moment,” Thomas said onstage at The Wear House during SXSW. “You can’t even be a little bit off because a centimeter is the difference between a gold and silver medal.” The conversation was moderated by Michael Atmore, chief brand officer, Fairchild Media Group and editorial director, Footwear News.
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At 27, the track star already has four medals from the Olympic Games and World Championships. This summer, she has her sights set on gold in Paris.
USA Track & Field, the national governing body for running sports, noted that she is the second-fastest 200-meter runner the U.S. has ever seen, behind only Florence Griffith-Joyner. “We’re excited at the potential of seeing Gabby on another Olympic team and looking forward to what’s in store for 2024,” a spokesperson for USATF previously told WWD sister publication FN.
In 2021, at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team trials in Eugene, Ore., Thomas won the women’s 200 meters final in 21.61 seconds. It was the third-fastest time ever. The only other person who held faster times was the late Flo-Jo.
Unlike other sports, track and field can be lonely, and the pressure is often heightened as years of training leads up to just one moment.
“It’s an individual sport. You just have you on the line. You don’t have teammates to fall back on… a big part of professional sports is dealing with stress. If you can’t, you cannot compete at this level. For me, it’s keeping everything in perspective,” said Thomas. “I love what I do and I can only control what I can control and there’s a peace and understanding in knowing that.”
In addition to maintaining perspective, Thomas said having purpose is key to dealing with pressures.
“It’s not just for winning races. It’s for your own personal growth, inspiring the next generation of athletes and making a difference. When you have a bigger picture on your why, you don’t get too tied in to the pressure of having a medal.”
Plus, having life and interests outside of sport has been an important factor for Thomas.
After completing her undergraduate degree at Harvard University, studying neurobiology and global health, Thomas received her master’s in epidemiology and health care management from the University of Texas Health Science Center last year.
“Running is a lot. To put all of that on you and only fall back on that and only constantly be thinking about your sport and competition, it can be really unhealthy. It’s important to have other parts of your identity to pour into,” she said.
She doesn’t have plans on retiring any time soon, though. Thomas said she will be running until she doesn’t want to anymore — and after Paris, L.A. 2028 is on the horizon.