If anyone had an incredible stint at the 2024 Paris Olympics, it would be Gabby Thomas. The track and field star had a successful gold sweep amidst a thundering cheer at Stade de France. She clinched her maiden gold in the 200m finals by crossing the finish line in 21.83 seconds. Up next, she shifted her focus to the 4x100m relay event. But to no one’s surprise, Team USA surged past on the wet track, claiming another gold with 41.78 seconds on the clock. 

However, what happens when you put two of the fastest women on the same team? They go on to snag an eighth consecutive gold medal for the nation. That’s what happened in the 4x400m relay event. Team USA’s blistering 3:15:27 proved to be unbeatable as they sprinted their way to victory. That moment was everything the Olympian could ask for. But there was one thing that blew her away. What could it be?

Gabby Thomas spills the beans on teaming up with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

The quartet of Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 200m Olympic Champion, and Alexis Holmes had their sights set on the coveted gold. The stakes were higher than ever, but they set a North American record with their time. On an October 29 episode of Why Not Me? with Mike Jackson, the sprinter opens up about how she was amazed by Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. “There is nobody in the world who can finish a 400 that fast, dude. I had never seen that before in my life.” 

What could she have referred to? The 25-year-old was fresh off her victory in the 400mH, where she defended her title with 50.37 seconds on the clock. After Shamier Little passed her the baton in the 4x400m event, she gave Team USA a massive lead with a blistering split of 47.71 seconds in the second leg. Given that Gabby Thomas wasn’t expecting that, things took a worrying turn when McLaughlin-Levrone handed her the baton. 

During the handoff, the sprinter nearly tripped on the inside rail. Even though she quickly recovered, it looked grim for a split second. Jackson asked the Olympian if that actually took place, and she agreed. “I unfortunately did. So, for that really… we didn’t get to practice at all. So, that was my first time ever doing an exchange with Sydney.” The 27-year-old didn’t anticipate how quick the hurdler was, catching her by surprise. She even hilariously divulged that McLaughlin-Levrone nearly ran her over. However, what really caused that?

The Olympian clears the air regarding the 4x400m relay mishap

Team USA might have successfully bagged their eighth consecutive Olympic gold, but it didn’t come with a fair share of drama. When Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone passed the baton to the 27-year-old, it looked like she would either drop the baton or fall herself. This wouldn’t be ideal for the team because if an athlete drops the baton in the 20m exchange zone, it could result in a disqualification as per the IAAF rules.

But they pushed past that moment and sprinted towards Olympic glory. Looking back on that moment, Gabby Thomas stated they didn’t know what to expect because they hadn’t trained together before. Why wasn’t that an option? Each of them trains in different cities in the States. In fact, they hadn’t even run the heats as a team in Paris. Except for Shamier Little, the rest of them had other events lined up on the same day.

Even then, the sprinter proudly exclaimed that they went out there and made it happen. The quartet didn’t just run on the tracks. It looked like they were almost gliding. We know what you’re wondering. How did they work it out? The Olympian can answer that for you. She explained that they briefly spent some time together in Paris. 

So, what was their secret sauce? “What we have to do is build a rapport and trust each other and respect each other as athletes and that’s the best thing we can do,” Gabby Thomas confessed. It’s true what they say—teamwork makes the dream work. Watching them dominate the now iconic purple tracks was truly a vision, and who doesn’t love queens supporting queens? We surely do!