It seems Gabby Thomas just can’t catch a break. While the Gold medalist is doing all she can to elevate track and field, netizens have been on her case nonstop. But this year has been especially bad. First, it was all the negativity she got at Unrivaled when all she did was dress well. Then, it was the streak of racist comments questioning her Harvard degree that nearly broke her down. But now? Now, some person on the internet is trying to gain clout at Gabby’s expense and her identity’s expense. But she take it head down? Of course not.

If someone has any doubt, Gabby’s identity as a person of color is well established with her having an American mother and a Jamaican mother. But it seems that too has now become a talking point. Even after the two gold medals she brought to her team at Paris 2024, instead of thanks, all she got were hateful comments. Everyone was ready to play the race to undermine her accolades, but Thomas clapped back faster than they could breathe. Yet, despite all this, now one more fiasco has started.

It all started when Track Spice shared a TikTok video of Gabby on X. In the clip, Gabby’s wearing a chill look: a white headband, white T-shirt, and blue jean shorts and dancing to Cali Swag District’s “Teach Me How to Dougie”. Her caption? “Day 5.5 learning to Dougie, keeping my wrists lower.” Now, she wasn’t exactly Chris Brown-level smooth, but she was feeling the beat! Arms swinging, hips swaying, just doing her thing. But then, cue the negativity.

A user named “Inventing April”, who seemed to be Jamaican based on her profile, dropped the comment: “This is a white woman… I will not elaborate.” Excuse me, what? Gabby wasn’t having it. She clapped back faster than she ran the 200m: “Ew.” Short, sharp, and enough to leave the commenter blinking in confusion. Now, here’s where it gets messier.

The user tried to backpedal, saying, “It’s just the dance moves,” like that was supposed to make it better. Gabby wasn’t playing those games. She hit back with, “Nah, girl, you got the wrong one. Black people aren’t a monolith, and this anti-Black rhetoric isn’t it. Let Black women be silly and have fun.” Boom. Mic drop. But oh no, Inventing April still wasn’t done.

She tried to sass her way out with, “Let’s keep it cute now!” Gabby’s response? “Aht aht — ma’am, your original comment wasn’t cute. But I won’t hold you as I’m sure you learned something today.” Translation: Sit down; class is over. And just like that, Gabby Thomas didn’t just Dougie — she danced her way right past the drama. Her track and field fam had her back, too, flooding her with love and support.

Gabby Thomas’s fans show up loud and proud

Gabby Thomas’s fans weren’t just showing love, they were hyping her like she just sprinted her way into legend status all over again! One fan said, “Gabby is a gold medalist, who cares if she can dance or not? 🤣🤣 let her live 🙄.” Another chimed in with, “Lol, girl got moves!” Someone else nailed it with, “You always slay, be it shutting down haters or leaving competitors in the dust!”

Gabby’s got range — running fast, clapping back faster, and now showing she can throw down some dance moves too. And let’s be real, Gabby’s been adding a little rhythm to her routine for ages. Her warm-ups? A bop session — a shoulder roll here, a quick shuffle there — it’s like she’s turning the track into her dance floor. Whether she’s chasing gold or busting a move, Gabby’s always got the rhythm — and the world’s just vibing along!

One supporter defended her with, “It’s possible it was joke. But I don’t blame Gabby for not taking it lightly. She’s been a constant target for these types of comments. As someone who has endured similar remarks, it cuts deep when you get it from your community.” Another chimed in with, “I love how Gabby will go toe to toe with people who THINK they know her! You blackity black Gabs!”

Gabby Thomas has got a whole squad ready to ride for her, and they aren’t here for the nonsense. But let’s talk about what sparked all this. In fact, just earlier this year, trolls decided to question Gabby’s education — yes, seriously. Even with a Harvard neuroscience degree under her belt, people still doubted her. One X user snarked, “Gabby Thomas doesn’t sound like she’s the brightest out there.”

Bad move. Gabby hit back with, “You’re probably right 🤷🏽‍♀️😂 darn my Harvard degree.” But things escalated when people started claiming she must’ve faked her way into Harvard because she’s Black. Gabby Thomas wasn’t about to let that slide. “Today, on Jan 26, 2025, there are hundreds of people commenting on my Twitter page that specifically because I am Black, they must assume I did not earn my admission into Harvard nor did I earn my diploma. Is this real life??” she wrote.

Let’s be real, Gabby’s got nothing to prove, but for the record, she’s not just a Harvard grad; she also earned her master’s in public health from the University of Texas at Austin. So, yeah, is anyone still doubting her? They better come correct? Well, Gabby’s been shutting down trolls like it’s part of her training routine, and trust me, she’s winning that race too.