At 27, Gabby Thomas boasts four Olympic medals, making her the USA’s second-fastest 200-meter runner after FloJo. Her achievements have drawn praise from USATF, with a spokesperson expressing excitement about her potential for future Olympic teams, hinting at what awaits in 2024. Yet, beyond her athletic prowess, Thomas also shines as an inspiration for young sprinters worldwide. Interestingly, her source of motivation extends beyond the track, finding inspiration in the tennis world through her friendship with Coco Gauff. The duo often showcases their close bond on social media, with Gauff recently complimenting Thomas with a playful “pretty pretty” comment on one of her selfies. Their camaraderie adds a delightful layer to Thomas’ multifaceted journey as an athlete and role model.

During a playful Instagram interview with World Athletics, Gabby Thomas delved into her love for video games.  When asked what game she was dominating on Wii sports, Thomas laughed and said, “Oh! In Wii Sports, I’m dominating tennis all the way. I’m Coco Gauff on Wii Tennis.” The two are extremely close friends. Earlier, in an Instagram post by Katherine Kalill, one could see Thomas explaining how Coco Gauff was her ultimate role model. 

Gabby Thomas and Coco Gauff both share several parallels in their careers. Especially when it comes to facing challenges and overcoming them. Thomas weathered a daunting hamstring injury while Gauff has been vocal about the pressure on her to win since the age of 15. While Gabby Thomas derives inspiration from Gauff, she continues to carve her own space. Since her days as a young athlete in Williston Northampton School, she set multiple records and was named the MVP every time those 4 years. She went to college at Harvard, where she won 22 conference titles across her 3 years in six different events. She set the school and Ivy League records in the 100m, 200m, and the indoor 60 meters.

In 2018, Thomas won the NCAA championship in the 200m with a time of 22.38s. She also became the first Ivy League female sprinter to win a national title. In the Tokyo Olympics as well, she grabbed a bronze medal in the 200m event with a time of 21.87s and a silver medal as part of the women’s 4x100m relay team. She also claimed a silver medal in the 200m event at the World Championships in Budapest. Thomas has already helped the USA secure their spot at the Paris Olympics in the 4x100m relays with a time of 42.21s. Clearly, Thomas has all the tools necessary in the fantastic lead-up to the 2024 Summer Olympics.

What does Gabby Thomas have in store for the future?

Gabby Thomas is preparing to be on top of her game for the Paris Olympics. At the Wear House event during SXSW, she said, “By the time you get to the Olympics, you want to be at your top peak performance, physically, mentally, emotionally. Everything we do is gearing up for that one moment.” She emphasized on being completely centered and focused while racing, “You can’t even be a little bit off because a centimetre is the difference between a gold and silver medal.” Thomas further explained how for her, the Olympics is not just about winning medals. It’s also about personal growth and making a difference. In her journey to become a better athlete, she is driving inspiration from Coco Gauff, who has won 7 WTA Tour singles, including the 2023 US Open. 

Thomas gushed about Gauff, explaining just how much she looks up to the tennis star. “She was just named the highest-paid female athlete…she is so relatable and down-the-earth…I also just love that she dominates a white-dominated sport as a black woman…she does it with such grace…young girls can look up to her as a role model and just believe in themselves,” Thomas said. In the future, Thomas also plans on focusing on her time at the University of Texas. Where she is studying for a master’s in epidemiology at the Health Science Center. As Gabby’s playful statement shows, she is a champion in more than one area, and her friend Coco Gauff is definitely a rock through it.