July 1, 2024
Athletic Standout Gabby Thomas Juggles Olympic Training and Volunteer Duties At Clinic
The 200 meter runner has decided to fully focus on her Olympic training and put aside her goal to pursue a Ph.D.
Track and field standout Gabby Thomas is mastering the art of balance. She juggles her 2024 Paris Olympic training with her volunteer duties at a healthcare clinic.
“It’s kind of a balancing act, but that’s the way I like it,” the Harvard neurobiology graduate told Olympics.com. “I like coming home from track and having something completely different to focus on. And when I’m doing my clinic work, I can’t wait to get back to the track.”
The 27-year-old’s dedication to track and field and healthcare is evident in her ability to find fulfillment in both arenas. After grueling Olympic training sessions, Thomas finds renewed energy at the clinic. “…When I’m tired and wheezing from practice, I’m just like, ‘I’m so grateful to be doing what I love and to be able to do it for a living,'” she said.
The 200-meter sprinter moved to Austin, Texas, to train while she earned her master’s at the University of Texas. Thomas said her resilience in her Olympic training stems from her mother’s, Jennifer Randall, inspiring journey to completing her Ph.D. while raising her family as a single parent. “Watching her be a single parent without two pennies to scrub together and working her way up and to being what she is now, a successful professor living out her dreams and starting a non-profit to help people get [an] education. I mean, that was a lot to watch.”
As Thomas’ track and field career flourished, her mother consistently emphasized the value of education. This dual focus has been instrumental in Thomas’ success on and off the track.
Having recently completed her master’s in public health in May, Thomas is temporarily setting aside her mother’s desire for her to pursue a Ph.D., choosing instead to concentrate on her Olympic training fully.
At the recent U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 29, Thomas clinched victory in the 200-meter final with a blazing time of 21.81 seconds, according to Olympics.com. Saturday’s performance solidified her status as a top contender, building on her impressive track record that includes a bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics and a silver from last year’s World Championships in the same event.
Thomas’s commanding race saw her lead from the starting blocks to the finish line, outpacing track star Sha’Carri Richardson. Two first-time Olympians, Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long, will join Thomas on the U.S. Olympic team for the 200 meters.