On August 7, Gabby Thomas was pinching herself when she said, “I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would become an Olympic gold medalist, and I am one.” Fast forward just three days, and she’s now the proud owner of three shiny gold medals! Yep, Gabby Thomas just made history as the first American track and field Olympian to snag three gold medals at a single Olympics since Allyson Felix pulled off the same feat 12 years ago at the 2012 London Games!

She snagged the women’s 200 meters and the 4×100 meters relay, followed by a third gold in the women’s 4×400 relay on August 10 at Stade de France. The U.S. team set a blistering new American record with a time of 3:15.27, leaving the Netherlands and Great Britain in the dust. But behind her phenom speed, it’s also in her genes!

Her mom, Jennifer Randall, is the Dunn Family Endowed Professor of Psychometrics and Test Development at the University of Michigan. Her dad, Desmond Thomas, a college football star and Jamaican-born defensive back at Duke, is where Gabby gets her incredible speed. Gabby doesn’t shy away from giving props to her heritage: “Everyone knows that I am Jamaican because I do believe that that’s where I get my fast roots from. I’m just not going to sugarcoat it that’s what it is.” And if you think Gabby is all about running, think again! Her grandfather recently spilled the beans about a noble cause Gabby dreams of achieving beyond her athletic career!

In an interview with WKRG-TV, Stanley King, Gabby Thomas’s proud maternal grandfather, shared just how much he admires her dedication both on and off the track. Gabby’s not only breaking records in track and field but also taking her education seriously. A Harvard grad with a degree in neurobiology and global health, she wrapped up her master’s in epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in May 2023. King said, “Her goal is to open up a medical clinic, you know, and I pray that she’s as successful at that as she is in track and field.”

When she’s not competing, Gabby’s giving back by volunteering at a clinic in Austin that helps the uninsured and running a hypertension program. Her big dream? To open her own hospital or nonprofit to make healthcare more accessible. Gabby’s message to young people and girls? “I hope when they look at me and they see what I do they’re inspired to work hard. They’re inspired to be kind to people and to give back to their communities when they can, and if I can leave that message with the world then I’ve done my job.” But Gabby Thomas isn’t just making waves at the Paris Olympics—she’s also smashing records for her alma mater, Harvard University!

Gabby Thomas is writing her name in the Crimson’s history books with her Olympic feats!

Back at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Gabby Thomas became the first Harvard women’s track alum to win an Olympic medal. But her achievements in Paris have taken things to a whole new level. With her three gold medals, including a standout victory in the 4×400 meter relay, Gabby helped Harvard athletes set a new record by winning 13 medals at the 2024 Games. This shattered a 128-year-old school record, making it Harvard’s best Olympic performance ever.

Gabby’s remarkable feats in Paris included tying the 1896 Athens Games record when she won Harvard’s 12th medal in the 4×100 meter relay. Her gold in the 200 meters added to her status as Harvard’s most decorated Olympian, tying her with the most gold medals of any Harvard alumnus. But Gabby wasn’t the only Harvard star in Paris. The Games kicked off with fencer Lauren Scruggs ’25 winning silver in the individual foil and gold with the U.S. team. Liam Corrigan ’19 clinched Harvard’s first gold in men’s coxless four rowing, while David F. Ambler ’20 earned bronze for Britain.

Clark A. Dean ’23, Pieter Quinton ’20, and Christian B. Tabash ’22 added bronze in the U.S. men’s eight boat. Kristen T. Faulkner ’16 scored gold in both the cycling road race and team pursuit, and Lisa Tertsch ’21 took gold in the mixed relay triathlon for Germany. Despite a few setbacks, like the men’s saber fencing team’s seventh-place finish and Jade E. Rose ’25’s early exit from soccer, the 2024 Paris Olympics were truly a record-setting event for the Crimson!