Gabby Thomas didn’t just sprint to victory in Paris. After returning with a bronze from the Tokyo Olympics, Gabby made sure to make sure that in her next Olympic quest she would only settle for the highest pedestal on the podium. Paris saw the 27-year-old athlete soar to the pinnacle of her career in the City of Love. From her childhood, it wasn’t just the athletic world where she chose to shine bright. Being deeply involved in academics, Thomas secured a degree in epidemiology and is a Harvard graduate in neurobiology. Although Gabby had to struggle hard from her early days to reach the zenith, she has balanced both academics and sports since her early teenage days.

Crossing the finish line in the 200m in Paris with a jaw-dropping 21.83 seconds, Thomas cemented her place in history. But she was not yet done reigning supreme in the State de France. She went on to dominate in both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. Claiming not one but three gold medals for Team USA, she became one of only three U.S. athletes, alongside Tori Huske and Simone Biles, to sweep three golds in Paris. The list of Thomas’ accolades won’t conclude any soon if it’s continued to be told. And although it began quite early, her athletic prowess was rather undervalued in her high school days.

Once overlooked, Gabby Thomas reveals discipline as the key to Olympic glory from being an underdog 

Today, the Massachusetts native is recognized as one of the brightest stars in the athletic realm. However, her journey to the Olympic podium was far from being a cakewalk. The name that now inspires millions wasn’t a name that was considered widely as a valued athlete during her high school days. She wasn’t a household name. She wasn’t the “one to watch” or the top recruit that colleges clamored for. In a recent conversation with NYRR (New York Road Runners), Gabby shared how she, as a young girl from Massachusetts, had to battle her way up from the sidelines till she grabbed her spotlight as an Olympian.

Gabby was consistently overshadowed by those considered more talented in her NCAA days. She reflected, “I was not a highly recruited high school athlete, and I was not the favorite in the NCAA.” However, nothing could pull her back. Instead of backing down, she doubled down. Relying on grit and a fierce dedication to discipline, she took up the wands to define her future. She made sure to motivate herself while her surroundings did not.

For Thomas, the track has always been her place to grow and push limits, but that didn’t mean she always felt motivated. There were countless days when she didn’t want to train when the end goal felt impossibly distant. “There are definitely a lot of moments where I don’t, and what I tell myself is that it’s really not about feeling motivated,” Gabby admitted. Stating about the driving force behind her disciplined self, she added, “It’s purely about the discipline, and it’s purely about the consistency. And I believe that I’m a testament to that, just because when I wasn’t high school running, when I was in college running, I was never the favorite.” This dedication and discipline began to set her apart from the rest. And she wasn’t late in recognizing the difference.

Narrating her journey, Thomas said, “But I think what set me apart was, every day I treated training like that; I was very disciplined. I was the first one to the track, last one to lead the track.” She wasn’t just there to put in time. But every practice, every rep, mattered deeply to her. “Every rep, every moment of training mattered to me. And I treated it like it was a big deal. And that just comes from discipline. And I value discipline in every area of my life,” added the sprinter.

Moreover, it wasn’t just about the physical training. It was a mental game, too. If motivation failed her, she leaned on positive self-talk. Gabby shared, “If I’m in practice and I’m not feeling motivated, and I’m thinking, I don’t wanna be here today… I just remind myself it’s about that consistency.” She reminds herself of her strength and her true potential to claim the top position. She added, “I tell myself, you know, I’m gonna crush it.” And crush it she did. Now, with Olympic medals and international titles to her name, Gabby Thomas has proven that discipline can outshine talent. She isn’t an underdog anymore but is an inspiration. But this wasn’t her only battle. Gabby Thomas also had to stand strong beside her mother as her pillar, who struggled hard to make life easy for her children.

Thomas’ unfiltered confession on how her mother’s struggle inspired her journey 

Thomas’ mother took an audacious step when little Gabby was just ten years old. Jennifer Randall, Gabby’s mother, decided to move to a different city with her family to concentrate on her career. She took a bold step and settled in Massachusetts to complete her PhD and cater to her new job. Randall took up the profession of teacher at the University of Massachusetts. Randall wanted to make sure that she also caters to her professional life while raising her children. Even more so because she was a first-hand witness of the pangs of poverty.

Speaking up about her mother’s journey, Gabby stated, “My mom is a rock star… It is hard, but my mom grew up dirt poor in Mobile, Alabama… Had eight siblings—nine. They didn’t have much and struggled to keep the lights on. For her to get a scholarship at Duke was already incredible in itself.” Gabby was brought up by one strong woman whose journey shaped Gabby’s personality. “This is something I talk about a lot regarding my own journey: watching my mom go from waitressing to working at a daycare to going back to school,” said Thomas.

The struggle of a single mom that Gabby witnessed during her childhood shaped her life. It taught her to value hard work, sincerity, and discipline in life. Thomas believes that self-motivation and self-belief can diminish every barrier in life. And her list of accolades indeed proves how strongly she stayed true to her beliefs.