U.S. track star Gabby Thomas earned her first-ever Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
“I wrote down over and over, every morning that I was in Paris, that I will be the Olympic champion in my Notes app … and I envisioned the race all day, every day, imagining myself winning and crossing the line in front,” she said in an interview with “CBS Mornings.”
The 27-year-old is the Olympic champion in the women’s 200-meter sprint.
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For Thomas, it’s all about preparation — both physical and mental — knowing she was lined up against the best athletes in the world.
“I had known that I had prepared for that moment for years, so that wasn’t just a couple days in the making. That was years of practice and training and muscle memory.”
Thomas also won gold in the 4×100-meter relay and the 4×400-meter relay. She explained there are challenges when you’re part of a relay team.
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“When we come together, we have a very short amount of time and that was in Paris and what we have to do is build a rapport, and trust each other and respect each other as athletes.”
Thomas also competed in the 2020 Tokyo Games, where she won a silver and bronze medal.
She said although she played different sports growing up, including soccer and basketball, running is always something that has come naturally to her.
“In elementary school, I used to race the boys in P.E. class, and everyone wanted to race me and see if they could beat me because I would always beat the boys,” she said.
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Off the track, the five-time Olympic medalist is a Harvard graduate, holding a degree in neurobiology. She also has a master’s degree in public health.
Thomas offered advice for the young kids who look up to her.
“Focus on your own journey. Just grow, have fun with the sport, find a sport that you love and stick with it.”
Thomas plans to stick with track, saying she would love to compete in the 2028 Olympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles.