May 15, 2024
People,
Armed with spectacular speed and even quicker wit, there is no stopping Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas as she races for gold in Paris.
“Mental training is very important to me. I meditate and work on techniques to calm my mind, especially before a race. It’s important to me to go into a race in a very focused and even state of mind. I don’t get too hyped up. I don’t listen to music. Instead, I try to keep myself even and calm."
An undergraduate degree in neurobiology from Harvard, a master’s degree in public health and epidemiology from The University of Texas, both a bronze and a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics... Extraordinary is the only way to describe the astounding list of achievements that Atlanta-born sprinter Gabby Thomas has earned at the mere age of 27.
Dior coat, Tribales earrings and Diorunway boot; OMEGA De Ville Trésor 36 mm. Makeup: Dior Forever Skin Glow foundation, Dior Forever Glow Maximizer and Dior Addict Lip Glow in No. 001 pink.
As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, Thomas is not only refining her physical prowess but also sharpening her mental acuity. “We train five days a week,” Thomas shares. “I train with my group in Austin, known as the Bailey Bunch.” Her regimen includes extensive track drills, sprints and sessions in the weight room. Reflecting on her preparations, she notes a significant relief compared to her last Olympic cycle, which was marred by the unpredictability of COVID-19. “Access to the track was inconsistent,” she reflects. “I’m so glad now we can just plan and prepare and focus without the added stress of wondering if a track or park may close.”
Part of the secret to her success is not just physical training but also mental preparation. “Mental training is very important to me,” Thomas shares. “I meditate and work on techniques to calm my mind, especially before a race. It’s important to me to go into a race in a very focused and even state of mind,” she reveals. “I don’t get too hyped up. I don’t listen to music. Instead, I try to keep myself even and calm.”
“I do find that my academics helped my training and vice versa. For me, it’s always been important to focus on my academic side as much as my athletic side."
Thomas’ commitment to excellence extends beyond the track and into academia. She recently completed her master’s in public health from The University of Texas at Austin. “I do find that my academics helped my training and vice versa. For me, it’s always been important to focus on my academic side as much as my athletic side,” she says. “I didn’t always know that I would be a professional track athlete, but I always knew that education was very important to me.” This pursuit of education provides a counterbalance to her athletic career, offering her mental diversion and resilience. “Having another area of focus provided a lot of balance mentally where what happened at practice wasn’t ‘make or break’ to everything in my life,” she reflects. “I could leave practice and have a whole different thing to put my time and attention on. And there is a lot of discipline required for both areas, so the more you strengthen that, the better all around.”
“When I was at Harvard, I also began studying the importance of sleep, and that has had a lot of influence on me as an athlete,” Thomas says. “Sleep, rest and recovery are as important as what we do on the track. So that means I’m not staying up late, not going out to every event,” she explains of her formula for success. “It helps to surround yourself with a circle that supports your goals and lifts you up—even if that means you won’t make it out to a party.”
The influence of Thomas’ mother looms large in her life, shaping her ethos of hard work and the importance of education. “She was a single mom of twins and put herself through grad school, got her PhD and became a professor,” Thomas shares. “She’s always instilled in me the drive to work hard and to prioritize my education. She really made me believe that anything is a possibility for me if I put the work in for it.”
Dior tank top, briefs and jacket; OMEGA Constellation 29 mm. Makeup: Dior Prestige Le Baume de Minuit and Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil in No. 001 pink.
Looking ahead, Thomas is already considering her post-athletic career, aspiring to leverage her public health expertise to impact health equity. “After my running career, I hope to continue my career in public health,” she says. “An ultimate goal would be to work as a CEO of a hospital and use my platform to help shine a light on health equity.” Thomas is also actively advocating for gender equality in sports, working to create a women-only track event with significant financial rewards, highlighting her commitment to improving conditions and promoting recognition
for female athletes. “It has been incredible to watch other female athletes get the attention they deserve,” she says. “Like everyone else, I was cheering on
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and all these amazing women who have been proving investing in women’s sports is good business. I want to use my platform
to help in this space.” Thomas recently announced a partnership with Alexis Ohanian (Reddit co-founder and husband of fellow athlete Serena Williams) to create a women-only track event with the highest-paying purse in history for the sport. “We want to create more opportunities for fans to see these amazing women run and for the athletes to feel well compensated for their efforts,” she says.
Thomas is keenly aware of the role of fashion in women’s sports in particular—and loves expressing her identity and boosting her confidence on and off the track. “There is a legacy of track women being fashionable,” she shares, noting legends like Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner and Olympian Allyson Felix. “It’s a little boost to go out onto the track feeling fierce and confident. And then off the track, it’s fun to play around with different looks between athletic wear and high fashion.”
“It has been incredible to watch other female athletes get the attention they deserve. Like everyone else, I was cheering on Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and all these amazing women who have been proving investing in women’s sports is good business. I want to use my platform to help in this space."
Her partnership with OMEGA Watches aligns perfectly with her meticulous attention to detail, as timing is crucial in her sport. “My career is determined by thousandths of a second, and OMEGA is dedicated to the art of timekeeping at the highest level. We both obsess over the details,” she says, noting the brand has been the timekeeper of the Games since 1932. “One of the few items we can wear outside our uniform on the track is a watch and jewelry. So it’s nice to be able to showcase some style on my wrist as I line up at the start.”
As Thomas prepares for the Paris Olympics, the sprinter already has her sights on the distance as well. “Right now, I’m hoping I may still be running when the Olympics come around to L.A. in 2028,”
she says. “It would be incredible to compete in front of a home crowd.”
Makeup: Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Couture in No. 183 Plum Tutu
Hair by Karl Payton using Fromm Pro
Makeup by Kim Weber for using Dior Beauty
Photography by: Lara Jade
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