Gabby Thomas Has a Ring on Her Finger Courtesy of Forgotten College Football Star

Gabby Thomas just gave us all the feels—she’s officially engaged! The 28-year-old Olympic star, who crushed it with three gold medals in Paris last year, shared the heartwarming news with Vogue, and honestly, it’s straight out of a rom-com. Her longtime boyfriend, Spencer McManes, totally surprised her (which is a miracle in itself!). “Normally, he’s very bad with surprises—and this was the one surprise I think I’ve ever witnessed him keep,” Gabby revealed.

Spencer, who is also an athlete, playing football at Yale, went all in, proposing on the rooftop of their cozy Airbnb in Travis Heights during a sweet little staycation before her track season kicked off. Flowers everywhere, her best friend was in on the secret, and a photographer was capturing the moment? Yeah, he nailed it.

When Vogue dropped the pics on Instagram, the love practically jumped off the page. The two were glowing in matching white outfits, but let’s be real—Gabby’s 2.04-carat diamond ring (not sure) stole the show. These two have been inseparable since 2022, with Spencer always in her corner, cheering her on through every triumph, especially in Paris. But the funniest part is that Spencer was giving away clues to Gabby the whole time, and GABBY? She didn’t get it!

He took Gabby ring shopping at Tiffany’s in New York on Valentine’s Day, made a random dinner reservation at their favorite Austin spot, J. Carver’s, during her offseason, and—this should’ve been the biggest hint—when she broke a nail on her left hand at practice, he instantly sent her $50 to get it fixed. If that’s not a dead giveaway, what is? Clearly, this proposal had been in the works for a while! But wait—Spencer, who grew up in Roswell, Georgia, and Gabby, raised in Massachusetts… how did these two even cross paths?

Spencer, standing by Gabby Thomas through every victory

Gabby Thomas and Spencer McManes may keep things private, but when their love story peeks through, it’s pure gold. Their relationship, which started in 2022, didn’t happen overnight; it had been simmering for a while. A mutual friend had a hunch these two would hit it off, and despite their Harvard-Yale rivalry, Gabby decided to test the waters with a casual Instagram follow. Spencer, who wasn’t expecting that move, was floored. “I got the notification and thought, ‘That’s crazy!’” he laughed.

Of course, he didn’t waste any time sliding into her DMs, playfully asking, “What did I do to earn a follow?” A few months of flirty exchanges later, Spencer finally asked her out, and the rest? Well, let’s just say they’ve been inseparable ever since. Spencer has been in Gabby’s corner through every victory, and Paris was no exception. He was right there last summer, watching with pride as she brought home gold in the 200m, the 4x100m, and the 4x400m relays.

When Gabby blazed through the finish line in the 200m final on August 6, clocking an impressive 21.83 seconds, Spencer was on his feet, cheering like crazy. And that moment? Pure magic. Gabby ran straight to him after her win, where they shared a quick hug and snapped a celebratory selfie in the bleachers. But Paris wasn’t the only time he had a front-row seat. Spencer was also there in Eugene, Oregon, on June 29, 2024, when Gabby secured her spot for Paris by winning the 200m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Through all the ups and downs, Spencer has been right there!