It’s official: Harvard’s 128-year-old record just got a new chapter, thanks to some dazzling performances at the Paris Olympics. The Crimson alumni snagged a whopping thirteen medals, but it was Gabby Thomas who stole the show, earning her place as Harvard’s most decorated Olympian. With her third gold from the 4x400m relay, Thomas—who graduated in 2019—has cemented her legacy on the track. And while Thomas is out there making history, she’s quick to give props to her secret weapon: her mom.

Meet Jennifer Randall, the woman behind the athlete’s success story. It turns out that Gabby Thomas wasn’t always in love with track and field. In fact, her first passion was soccer, and she only took up softball because, well, that’s what all her friends were doing. But Jennifer had other plans. She pushed Gabby into track and field, and clearly, she knew what she was doing.

Thomas chatted about this maternal influence during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where she spilled the tea to RuPaul about how her mom was the mastermind behind her track career. Gabby reminisced about how her mom’s decision to enroll her in track, despite her initial reluctance, turned out to be the best thing that ever happened. And when it came time to thank her, Thomas didn’t hold back.

Her mom was in the audience, soaking in the cheers, when Gabby shouted out her gratitude. “You’re welcome, baby girl,” Jennifer said with a smile. Then, amidst the applause, she delivered the ultimate mom wisdom: “Always listen to what your mother says.”

Gabby Thomas’s path to Olympic glory is as much about her mother’s journey as it is about her own athletic feats. Jennifer Randall’s story is nothing short of inspiring. She started out waiting tables but climbed her way up to become one of the most respected professors at the University of Michigan. Talk about a serious hustle!

Jennifer’s grit wasn’t just a personal trait; it was something she passed down to Gabby. Today, Gabby isn’t just an Olympic medalist—she’s also a powerhouse academically. She’s got a neurobiology degree from Harvard and a master’s in Public Health from the University of Texas.  But the road wasn’t always paved with gold. There was a time when Gabby seriously thought about giving up on her track career!

Jennifer also inspired Gabby Thomas when she was on the verge of quitting track!

During her Harvard days, Gabby Thomas was on the brink of ditching her track career for good. Why? Because she was flunking her classes. Gabby herself put it perfectly: “I was actually failing. Not like that cute ‘failing,’ where people are like, ‘Haha!’ Like, I was gonna drop the class.” It was a serious crossroads—either repeat the semester or switch majors. But with the support of a super encouraging professor, she managed to graduate with a degree in neurobiology.

Sophomore year hit, and Gabby was again tempted to quit track to focus on her studies. But then she thought about Jennifer Randall’s struggles as a single mother with three kids and not a cent to spare. Gabby recalled, “I remember thinking, if she could do that, then whatever I was doing was not hard.” That perspective gave her the push she needed to juggle both track and academics.

Now, Gabby’s not just crushing it on the track; she’s also setting her sights on giving back. Her mom’s lessons about education, dreams, and community have stuck with her. Gabby plans to start a non-profit to help underprivileged folks get medical treatment and even open her own hospital. Her grandfather, Stanley King, shared this goal in an interview: “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.”

So, what do you think about the impact Jennifer Randall has had on Gabby Thomas’s journey to success, both on and off the track? Share your thoughts in the comments below!