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Gabby Thomas is raking in the cash—Is she the most marketable athlete in track and field today?

Gabby Thomas had already made a mark by clinching an Olympic bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But she doesn’t want to settle for the last step of the podium. As she stepped into the French capital, all she had eyes for was her maiden gold at the Summer Games. She made her presence known during the heats on Stade de France’s purple track by smoking her competitors in 22.20 seconds. The 27-year-old kept that momentum going at the semi-finals on August 5. She ran one of the fastest times with 21.86 on the clock, stepping into the finals poised as the new favorite along with Julien Alfred.

Amidst a thunderous cheer from the crowds, Thomas made her way back to the purple tracks for one last hurdle between the sprinter and her Olympic dream. As soon as the gun went off, she made a beeline to the end. Even though it seemed like she wasn’t quick enough, she pulled herself away from her competitors with each stride. Sporting a fresh pair of New Balance, the athlete claimed her maiden Olympic gold with a stellar time of 21.83 seconds. How long has she been associated with the brand?

Before the sprinter went pro, the Massachusetts native enjoyed an exciting collegiate career. At the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Champions, she crossed the finish line in 22.38 seconds in the 200m dash. In doing so, Thomas effortlessly set a collegiate record time at the event. However, she was also the first athlete in Ivy League history to have won the sprinting championship. New Balance signed her on while she was still pursuing a master’s in public health at Harvard.

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USA Today via Reuters

Gabby Thomas was now a part of Team New Balance with Trayvon Bromwell and Vernon Norwood. What was it like for the sprinter? 

“Joining Team New Balance is exciting for me, because I’ve been wearing their spikes for so many years now. I am excited to continue to try out their innovative product and work with their product teams to develop their sprint spikes, training shoes and even apparel.” Since then, it’s hard to spot the 27-year-old wearing anything but spikes by the brand.

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Gabby Thomas is raking in the cash—Is she the most marketable athlete in track and field today?

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In recent years, the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist has signed on with several other brands like HOTSHOT, Eli Lilly and Company, Lenovo, Nulo, Whoop, and Skims. She even featured in a new Olympics campaign by the brand back in June. Thomas shared a few pictures of her modeling a few outfits, captioned “Proud to represent Team USA in @skims.” Given how she has such a prominent presence in the track and field, it’s no surprise many often wonder how much she earns through her meets. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

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How much moolah does Gabby Thomas make?

Even though the athlete contested during her time at Harvard University, like most athletes, she didn’t contest for cash prizes until she decided to go pro. In the last year alone, her net worth is estimated around $1 million to $5 million. How did that happen? At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she went on to claim two medals – a gold and a silver. Thomas had clinched another gold at the Paris Diamond League as well.

via Reuters

According to the prize purse set, she received $20,000 from the relay events. The Olympian took an additional $35,000 for the individual silver. However, many athletes don’t just rely on this alone. Thomas earns a little extra money on the side by making public appearances as well. This year though, her net worth could spike up by a bit after her podium finish in the French capital. The USOPC will be awarding each gold medal winner with $37,500 at the Paris Olympics – which the 27-year-old is.

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But she isn’t done yet. The World Athletics had announced that each gold medalist in track and field events will receive a cash prize of $50,000. Gabby Thomas is also associated with Alexis Ohanian’s 776 Invitational, which is set to take place later this year. The event has offered a cash purse of $60,000 dollar to every first place winner. Truth be told, the sprinter could easily walk away with one-fifth of a million by the end of the year.

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