592—that’s how many athletes Team USA sent to Paris, all chasing that one moment: making their country proud. The Games started with major events like swimming on July 27, while track and field didn’t start until August 1. But every athlete had to arrive weeks early, stuck in Olympic limbo. We know, gymnastics? That happened early. Track and field? Way later. So what were sprinters like Gabby Thomas supposed to do while waiting for their turn? Cheer on teammates? Train? Stress? Turns out, all of the above. As she put it, she was straight-up “stressed out.” But why?

Gabby Thomas walked away from Paris with three gold medals—a huge haul, tying her with Simone Biles, who also won three (not counting the silver Biles picked up, thanks to the dramatic floor exercise final). But for Gabby, that success was accompanied by a unique experience: watching her idol compete. “I’ve always been a Simone fan,” she once said, and since track and field events happened later, she finally had the chance to see Biles and other gymnasts perform live. Inspiring? Absolutely. But also one of the hardest parts of her journey. Wanna know why? Let’s hear it straight from the GOAT track star herself.

Gabby Thomas sitting on pins and needles while watching Simone Biles and fellow competitors

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In a recent interview on Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce, Gabby Thomas opened up about one of the most stressful parts of her Paris Olympics experience. When asked if she had the chance to watch any events before her races, she didn’t hold back. While most would assume the extra time was a luxury, for Gabby, it was the opposite—it was nerve-racking. She arrived early for relay camp, only to find herself stuck watching everyone else compete while her events felt so far away. Seeing gymnastics athletes like Simone Biles and others dominate and stand proudly on the podium was inspiring. But..

As we know Team USA gymnastics won 10 medals. But it also came with a harsh reality for Gabby Thomas, “Oh my God….They’re done, they got it over with, and I’m still sitting here, like, stressed out.” Well, it seems she was still in the thick of Olympic pressure. The waiting game was brutal. “So much pressure, and I can’t even, like, enjoy the feeling of going and supporting the other athletes,” she admitted. While others soaked in their victories, Gabby was hyper-focused on what she still had to do.

There was no relaxing, no celebrating—just an endless cycle of training, eating, and trying to stay mentally locked in. And if that wasn’t enough, her schedule didn’t get any easier. The 200m—her main event was one of the last track races, meaning she had to watch all her teammates compete before it was finally her turn. “Well, great for them love that for you but literally still freaking out over here,” she joked. But even after that?

Her job wasn’t done. She still had the 4×100 and 4×400 relays, with the latter being the very last track event of the Olympics. So yeah, while she may have enjoyed parts of the Games, she also spent two straight weeks stressed out of her mind. But what about the feeling of watching Simone Biles? Gabby Thomas was starstruck. She revealed just how much it meant to her to see her idol in action.

Two peas in a pod

Gabby Thomas and Simone Biles are two of the only three U.S. athletes to sweep three golds at the Paris Olympics. But despite her own success, Gabby couldn’t help but feel starstruck when she met Simone, the G.O.A.T. On the Ali on the Run Show back in November last year, Gabby admitted she’s always been a fan of Simone’s, and they first met in Paris. “I’ve always been a Simone fan, I’ve been such a fan, and even more so after Tokyo and watching her advocate for herself and advocate for every athlete and human who struggles with mental health,” Thomas said.

While they briefly crossed paths there, their shared sponsor, Eli Lilly, brought them together for the Indiana Fever Game. Gabby even recalled how they hid by the locker room to surprise Caitlin Clark after the game. That’s when their conversation turned to life after the Olympics. As they chatted, Gabby shared how much Simone’s wisdom meant to her. “She’s had so much wisdom to share with me, even though we’re the same age, but she was absolutely incredible. She’s further ahead in her career than I am, athletically, and so I really felt like I got to learn from her, and it was really meaningful and impactful for me.”

Gabby Thomas also confessed that Simone gave her some important advice, saying, “She shared with me how to advocate for myself, how it’s okay to say no, how I should be proud of my bronze and silvers.” This stuck with Gabby, especially since Simone had taken time off from the sport during the Tokyo Olympics and realized that there’s more to being an athlete than just winning.

Simone’s advice didn’t just focus on accomplishments; it was about understanding the bigger journey. Gabby took away a powerful lesson: “Not to let people forget that that’s part of the journey.”  It reminded Gabby how important it is to not just be an athlete but a role model for the next generation.