Did Gabby Thomas graduate from Harvard? All about the American athlete's college and educational qualifications

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Aug 07, 2024 09:00 GMT

Gabby Thomas of the USA has qualified for the women's 200m finals at the Paris Olympics. The 27-year-old American sprinter clocked 22.20 and 21.86 seconds in the heats and the semifinals respectively to qualify for the 200m finals at the Paris Olympics.

Thomas' mother wishes her to do a PhD next as the American athlete completed her master's degree in May 2023. However, the athlete herself seems to be in no hurry. In an interview with Olympics.com, Thomas said [via Olympics.com],

"I think we're gonna put that on hold for a little while. And focus on my Olympic dreams right now."

What degree does Gabby Thomas have?

Thomas has excelled in both athletics and education. She graduated from Harvard University in neurobiology and global health. Subsequently, she completed her masters in public health and epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, while also focusing on her athletic career.

Before the Paris Olympics, Thomas was not among the top favorites for an Olympic gold medal. The likes of Elaine Thompson-Herah and Shericka Jackson of Jamaica were seen as standing in her path toward the Olympic gold medal. Favour Ofili from Nigeria and Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia [who recently won a surprise gold medal in women's 100m] were also tough competitors in the 200m. However, with both Thompson-Herah and Jackson out of the competition, Thomas' pursuit of Olympic gold has become slightly easier.

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Gabby Thomas on "making a difference in people's lives" while also being an elite athlete

Gabrielle Thomas in action during the women's 200m semifinals at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Gabrielle 'Gabby' Thomas is one of those rare all-rounders who has pursued education and passion with equal success. Apart from pursuing athletics, Thomas also volunteers for a health care clinic, a job that she took up while studying for her master's degree at the University of Texas.

In the aforementioned interview, Thomas also talked about how she is grateful for what she does for a living:

"I think I'm just so grateful to get to do what I love. I think about it all the time, and even after a hard day at the track, when I'm tired and wheezing from practice, I'm just like 'I'm just so grateful to be doing what I love, and to do it for a living.' "

Thomas also mentioned in the interview how she loves serving others:

"....And then I go to the clinic and volunteer and make a difference in people's lives. So I feel so fulfilled, and I feel so passionate about everything I do. And [that all] really comes from just gratitude."

Thomas won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020: a bronze in the women's 200m and a silver in the women's 4x100m relay. Though she won't be competing in the relay event in Paris, Thomas will be aiming for the elusive gold medal in the women's 200m at the Paris Olympics tonight at the Stade de France.