A balance between sports and study seems to be the hardest thing, and almost every one of us has faced it in our growing years. But someone in the ranks of an Olympics and World Athletics Championships Gold medalist has carried it out with precision. Yes, she is Gabrielle ‘Gabby’ Thomas, the athlete with a prestigious Harvard University degree. Furthermore, in her professional life as well, the 200-meter Olympic medalist manages her time, to handle the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic in Austin.

Despite having such stunning sporting abilities, Gabby Thomas’ initial days were nothing less than a rough experience. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, she confessed that she had been on the edge of failure in her college course back in her freshman year. “I was actually failing. Not like that cute ‘failing,’ where people are like, ‘Haha!’ Like, I was gonna drop the class,” as she mentioned. But dropping out at that pivotal moment, like the freshman year, can be the death knell of an athlete’s prospering career.

However, for Gabby, a lot of things remained at stake. Since her early days, Gabby Thomas has developed a lot of interest in public health. She started to look for a course that might give her the necessary platform to channel her career in that way. That urge drew her to the degree course in neurobiology, health, global health, and public policy at Harvard University.

Therefore, to complete her degree without any hindrance, Gabby needed to secure the passing qualification in all the chapters. However, the LS1B introduction to internal life sciences gave her the fear of failing the course. If she had failed that chapter, she would have had to drop off the neurobiology course or repeat the class. That could’ve attracted ire for her scholarship as well. However, the former NCAA champion received a breather from one of her professors at that penultimate moment.

Ultimately, Gabby didn’t have to repeat the year or drop her course. Moreover, in 2019, she exited from Harvard with a degree certificate and lots of pride. Later, she nourished her interest in life care, to make it her profession alongside her track endeavors. 

Gabby Thomas’ goal has been been clear since Day 1 

After graduating from Harvard University in 2019, Gabby Thomas shifted to Texas. This time, her target was to continue her educational interest in public health and policy and track preparation as well. At the University of Texas, she found out about the necessary course, and for sprinting practice, she joined the Buford-Bailey Track Club. Those decisions engulfed her so much that since then, Gabby Thomas has never thought of shifting her base from Texas. 

Meanwhile, speaking on her inclination toward public health, the world relay champion, in an interview with Runners World, claimed that before turning pro by signing the deal with New Balance, she could only think about pursuing her career in public health. “I wanted to work in health policy, and was super interested in health disparities,” as she cleared the air on her mindset.

She wanted to work in that sector to create a better environment for public health. Her free service to the health care system based in Austin speaks volumes. Furthermore, after her retirement, Gabby Thomas wants to continue her career in healthcare, especially on the business side of it. She already has certain ideas after finishing practice at a startup called Sedera in Austin.

Therefore, from the brink of facing failure in the course to making the course her profession, Gabby Thomas’ off-track story is nothing less riveting than her on-track story delivers.