Gabrielle Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Gabby Thomas

Thomas on July 25, 2024 in Paris
Personal information
Born	(1996-12-07) December 7, 1996 (age 28) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Education	Pace Academy Harvard University University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Sport
Country	United States
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprint
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals	2024 Paris 200 m, 1 Gold 4 × 100 m, 1 Gold 4 × 400 m, 1 Gold 2020 Tokyo 200 m, 3 Bronze 4 × 100 m, 2 Silver
Personal best(s)	100 m: 11.00 (Eugene 2021) 200 m: 21.60 (Eugene 2023) 400 m: 49.68 (Austin 2023) Long jump: 6.27 m (20 ft 6.72539370 in) (Palo Alto 2017) Indoors 60 m: 7.21i (Fayetteville 2021) 200 m: 22.38i (College Station 2018) 300 m: 35.73i (New York 2021)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2024 Paris 200 m Gold 2024 Paris 4×100 m relay Gold 2024 Paris 4×400 m relay Silver 2020 Tokyo 4×100 m relay Bronze 2020 Tokyo 200 m World Championships Gold 2023 Budapest 4×100 m relay Silver 2023 Budapest 200 m World Relays Gold 2024 Nassau 4×100 m relay Gold 2024 Nassau 4×400 m relay

Gabrielle Lisa Thomas (born December 7, 1996), often called Gabby, is an American track and field athlete. She is a very fast runner who specializes in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint races. Gabby became the Olympic champion in the 200m race at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Gabby was born in Georgia and grew up in Massachusetts. She ran track for Harvard University in college. After college, she started her professional running career in 2018. Gabby also has a master of public health degree, where she learned about how diseases spread.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she won a bronze medal in the 200m race. She also earned a silver medal as part of the women's 4 × 100m relay team. In August 2023, she won a silver medal in the 200m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. She then won a gold medal with Team USA in the women's 4x100m relay.

At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Gabby Thomas won three gold medals. She won one in her individual 200m race. She also won two more gold medals with her teammates in the 4 × 100m relay and the 4 × 400m relay. In the 4x400m relay, they set a new American record and ran the second-fastest time ever.

Gabby's Early Life and Family

Gabby Thomas was born on December 7, 1996, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her mother, Jennifer Randall, is American, and her father, Desmond Thomas, is from Jamaica. Gabby also has a twin brother.

In 2007, her mom, Jennifer Randall, moved the family to Massachusetts. She became a teacher at the University of Massachusetts after finishing her PhD. The family settled in Florence.

How Gabby Started Running

When Gabby was younger, she played softball and soccer. Later, she joined the track and field team at the Williston Northampton School. She was inspired to run by the famous athlete Allyson Felix. Gabby remembers watching Felix race at her grandmother's house. During her four years in high school, Gabby set many school records. She was also named the most valuable player every year.

Gabby was recognized as the best track athlete in the Ivy League in both 2017 and 2018. This was the start of her amazing sports career.

Gabby's Education

Gabby is a graduate of Harvard University. As an undergraduate student, she studied how the brain works and global health issues. In May 2023, Gabby earned her master of public health degree. She studied at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, focusing on how diseases spread.

Gabby's Running Career

While at Harvard, Gabby Thomas won 22 big awards in her three years of college sports. She competed in six different running events. She set new records for Harvard and the Ivy League in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the indoor 60 meters races.

In October 2018, Gabby signed a contract with New Balance. This meant she became a professional athlete and did not use her last year of college sports eligibility. After leaving Harvard, she moved to Austin, Texas. There, she was coached by Tonja Buford-Bailey.

Gabby Thomas (left) at the 2020 US Olympic trials.

In 2021, doctors found a growth on her liver. Luckily, it turned out to be harmless. Gabby then represented the United States in the 200-meter race at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Olympic Trials and First Medals

At the United States Olympic trials on June 26, 2021, Gabby ran the 200m in 21.61 seconds. At that time, this was the second-fastest time ever recorded, only slower than the world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner. Even Gabby herself was surprised by her speed. She said, "It definitely changed how I view myself as a runner." She added, "My dream was to make the Olympic team... Now that I've accomplished [that], I'm going to set higher goals."

On August 3, 2021, in the Olympic final, Gabby won a bronze medal in the 200m. She finished behind Elaine Thompson-Herah (gold) and Christine Mboma (silver). Three days later, the U.S. team made it to the finals of the 4 x 100m relay. Gabby ran the final part of the race. The team came in second place behind Jamaica, earning Gabby a silver medal. Her teammates were Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, and Jenna Prandini.

2022: A Challenging Year

In March 2022, Gabby started her outdoor season at the Texas Relays. She had the fastest start to a season ever for a female 200m sprinter. She ran a very fast 21.69 seconds with some wind help. Just 45 minutes earlier, she won the 100m race in 10.92 seconds.

Gabby missed out on qualifying for the 2022 World Athletics Championships in July. She tore her hamstring just weeks before the USATF Championships in June. Because of this injury, she only finished eighth in the 200m final.

2023: World Championships Success

On April 29, at the Texas Invitational, Gabby set a new personal best in the 400m race. She ran it in 49.68 seconds, much faster than her previous best.

On July 9, 2023, Gabby Thomas became the US national champion for the women's 200m sprint. On August 25, 2023, she won a silver medal in the 2023 World Athletics Championships with a time of 21.81 seconds. She finished ahead of her USA teammate Sha'Carri Richardson. The gold medal went to the defending champion, Shericka Jackson. Gabby also won a gold medal with Team USA in the women's 4x100m relay final. They set a championship record of 41.03 seconds. Her teammates for this event were Tamari Davis, Twanisha Terry, and Sha'Carri Richardson.

2024: Olympic Gold Medals

On June 29, 2024, Gabby Thomas qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. She won the U.S. Olympic Trials 200m race with a time of 21.81 seconds. She also won the 200m at the final pre-Olympic Diamond League meeting in London, England, on July 20, with a time of 21.82 seconds.

At the Olympics, she won the gold medal in the 200-meter race in 21.83 seconds. Along with her teammates, she also won gold medals in the 4 × 100m relay and the 4 × 400m relay.

In September 2024, she competed at the Athlos track meet in New York City. This was a track and field event just for women. Gabby finished second in the 200m race there. In November 2024, it was announced that Gabby Thomas had joined the new Grand Slam Track league, started by famous sprinter Michael Johnson.

Gabby's Achievements

International Competitions

Representing the  United States

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time	Notes
2019	World Relays	Yokohama, Japan	–	4 × 200 m relay	DQ
2021	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	3rd	200 m	21.87	+0.8 m/s
			2nd	4 × 100 m relay	41.45	SB
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	2nd	200 m	21.81
			1st	4 × 100 m relay	41.03	CR
2024	World Relays	Nassau, Bahamas	1st	4 x 100 m relay	41.85	WL
			1st	4 x 400 m relay	3:21.70	WL
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	1st	200 m	21.83
			1st	4 × 100 m relay	41.78
			1st	4 × 400 m relay	3:15.27	AR

National Championships

Circuit Wins

Gabby has won several races in the Diamond League, which is a series of top-level track and field meetings:

• 2018 (200 m): Lausanne
• 2019 (200 m): Lausanne
• 2022 (200 m): Doha
• 2023 (200 m): Paris
• 2024 (200 m): London

Awards

• Night of Legends Award 2024: Jackie Joyner-Kersee Female Athlete of the Year

See also

In Spanish: Gabrielle Thomas para niños