Gabby Thomas is the full package, not just an Olympian. The 27-year-old sprinter from Northampton, Massachusetts, recently struck gold in the women’s 200-meter final at the Paris Games, blazing across the finish line in a jaw-dropping 21.83 seconds. But with Gabby, there’s a lot more beneath the surface—she’s got brains to match her speed. She has showcased her skills extend beyond athleticism by earning a degree in neurobiology and global health from Harvard along with a Master’s in public health.

She may consider pursuing a PhD in the future. Currently, she remains dedicated to excelling in her track career. After securing her medals in Paris, Gabby shared her passion for inspiring others, saying, “I want to inspire the youth… to find their passions and be successful. I want young girls to look at us [medal winners] as strong female athletes and feel like they can do it, too.” It’s clear her words aren’t falling on deaf ears.

New athletes are already following in Gabby Thomas’s footsteps, inspired by her incredible journey and success. Well, West Geauga graduate Brittni Mason is also gearing up for her second appearance with Team USA in the Paralympics, starting August 28. Born with Erb’s palsy, a nerve condition affecting her shoulder and arm, Mason, 26, was initially unaware she was eligible for para-athletics until late in her college career at Eastern Michigan.

Since her love for sports, Mason has not only traveled the world and achieved much success but at the same time, she has also excelled academically. After Tokyo 2021, she earned two Master’s degrees—one in sports management from Eastern Michigan and another in business administration from DeVry University. This dual achievement was facilitated by a program with Team USA that covered her MBA expenses. “I went through a program with USA that pays for my MBA online,” Mason explained. “So I already had that situated before I decided to go back to Eastern. I’m like, “OK, I’m going to take my next year and run at Eastern, because it’s right before the Games.

She added., “So I ended up getting my sports management Master’s as well as my MBA, both at the same time. And some of the classes were able to overlap for both business degrees, like statistics at one point was able to transfer over. So I was able to graduate with my first Master’s in one year and then my second Master’s in like a year and a half.” Balancing her athletic career with her studies, Mason was able to complete her degrees while competing at the highest levels.

Mason’s growth as a sprinter since her high school days at West G has been impressive. She was a standout athlete, finishing as the Division II state runner-up in the 100 meters and placing third in the 200 meters as a senior in 2016. Her development continued at Eastern Michigan, where she not only excelled on the track but also discovered her eligibility for para sports. This year, her training regimen has been rigorous, balancing preparation for the Paralympics with competitions like the World Para Meet in Kobe, Japan, where she earned a silver medal in the 200 meters. But it all was possible because of Gabby Thomas.

Gabby Thomas’s remarkable accomplishments lead us to ponder how she balances her commitments to both her track and field pursuits and academic studies.

Gabby Thomas’s double whammy of sports and studies

Calling Gabby Thomas a role model is an understatement. At the age of 27 years old, she left a significant mark on the track field by achieving a bronze in the 200-meter race and a silver in the 4 x 100-meter relay at her first appearance in the Olympics, in Tokyo 2021. She recently contributed to the 4 x 100-meter relay team that secured a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in 2023. In Paris, she aced it again!

Thomas isn’t just known for her track skills; she attributes her achievements to a rounded life that involves academics and community service as well. As a student of neurobiology at Harvard University, she excelled in both her studies and athletic career by capturing 22 conference titles and marking her place in history as the Ivy League sprint champion. Thomas further pursued a master’s degree in health at the University of Texas and remains active in volunteering at the Volunteer Healthcare Clinic with a focus on preventing hypertension.

Gabby Thomas’s path has been greatly influenced by Allyson Felix’s journey and accomplishments, which she greatly looks up to. Her admiration for Felix’s elegance and success in sports competitions at the 2008 US Olympic Trials inspired Thomas to pursue her track career as well, just like Felix had done before her. And now she not only emulates Felix but has also achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first American woman after Felix to clinch an Olympic gold medal in the 200-meter event. This truly sets her apart as a role model worth following and aspiring to emulate in one’s own life.