Gabby Thomas Set to Follow Her Hero Sanya Richards-Ross’ Legacy at US Track and Field Olympics Trials

In several of her interviews, Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Thomas has talked about her idols, Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross. In their sprinting days, these two American monuments chased the Olympic glory by pushing themselves in multiple individual events. Gabby Thomas tried to follow the same path in the Tokyo Olympics trial by participating in both 100m and 200m events. However, she couldn’t make it into the final American 100m squad in the women’s category. Although, in 200m trials, she almost touched Florence Griffith-Joyner’s standing world record of 21.34 seconds. Coming to this time, the Boston native is eyeing to shave the gap with her idol Sanya Richards-Ross’ achievement in the 2012 London Olympics. 

As Citius Mag’s X-handle has dropped the update, Gabby Thomas is going to enter in both 200m and 400m individual events in the Olympic trials set in Oregon. In the 2012 Olympics, Sanya Richards-Ross became the last American sprinter to qualify for both the 200m and 400m events. Eventually, she bagged her 400m gold medal while missing the 200m event podium finish. Furthermore, Sanya extended her fiery run by clinching the 4x400m relay gold in the same Olympics. Gabby’s other idol, Allyson Felix, had her days too. In both the 2016 and 2021 Olympics, Allyson appeared in both 200m and 400m events at the trials. But on both occasions, the phenomenal American sprinter failed to make it into the 200m event. Yet, in the 400m event, she had repeated success. Gabby Thomas will surely try to stand better on that scale. Coincidentally, Gabby Thomas has already earned the 4x400m relay qualification a few weeks ago. Now will she be able to clear the finishing line before anyone else in the individual events in Oregon trials? The numbers are on her side. 

Despite having a forgettable 200m performance in the LA Grand Prix, Gabby Thomas has dominated in the event this season, mostly. In the recently concluded USATF New York City Grand Prix, the 27-year-old claimed the top place with a timing of 22.42 seconds. However, her season-best performance came in Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in March this year. Incidentally, that performance (22.08 seconds) reached her to the third position in the season-best performance list in 200m globally- a better display of mastery compared to sensational Sha’Carri Richardson. However, in the 400m, Gabby has not shown up in many events. 

Her best timing remains at 50.37 seconds achieved in the LSU Alumni Gold in April this year. The success in the 400m event would set her momentum in the trials as Gabby Thomas will start her trial journey this time with the same event. Meanwhile, the Tokyo Olympic medalist is thinking about cementing her name in the glory book. Since her early days, the Harvard University alum has been steady on her path. 

Gabby Thomas’ tryst with the history 

In her track and field persona, Gabby Thomas has tried to be an example to be a strong character being a Black woman. Idolizing the legendary sprinters like Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards-Ross proves that part of the character in an enormous length. Moreover, in her preparation module as well, the relay world champion exemplified the same mindset once. 

Before the Tokyo Olympics, Gabby Thomas chose the Austin-based Buford-Bailey Track Club run by a Black woman coach and consisting of Black women. Explaining that experience, Gabby once said, “a training group of all Black women who are all so inspirational and driven and motivated and succeeding… it’s very empowering.” The experience pushed her to reach greater heights. That iron-cast mindset worked when she almost touched Flo-Jo’s 200m record in the Tokyo Olympics trial final. 

That almost matched with Sanya Richards-Ross’ motivational words, “You learn in order to be great you have to push yourself.” So Gabby Thomas is still pushing herself and this time she is looking at the peak as her next endeavor.