"That's what I needed to hear" - Gabby Thomas reveals what 'idol' Allyson felix told her before Paris Olympics 2024

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Aug 14, 2024 11:29 GMT

Gabby Thomas joined an elite group of USA athletes with her results at the Paris Olympics. With three Olympic gold medals, the American sprinter joined the likes of Florence Griffith-Joyner, Wilma Rudolph, and Allyson Felix, becoming the fifth female sprinter from the USA to win three Olympic gold medals in a single edition. Thomas has credited Felix for her success at the Paris Olympics.

In an interview to The "TODAY" show portal, Thomas opened up on her experience at the Paris Olympics, and how Felix's performances inspired her as an athlete. Thomas further revealed how Felix inspired her to do her best at the Paris Olympics. She said (via TODAY):

"I remember her telling me before I even left for Paris, 'You know how to do this. You've done it for years. Go out and have fun and show the world what you have been working on.' That's what I needed to hear."

Thomas is the first American sprinter to win three Olympic gold medals since Felix did it last at the London Olympics in 2012. Like Thomas, Felix won the Olympic gold medals in the women's 200m, women's 4x100m relay, and women's 4x400m relay. Thomas is only the fifth American female athlete to achieve this feat at a single edition of the Summer Olympics.

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A look at Gabby Thomas' performances at the Paris Olympics

Gabby Thomas in action during the Women's 4x400m Relay at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source: Getty]

Gabby Thomas, who had a had a bronze in the 400m and a silver in the women's 4x100m relay from the Tokyo Olympics 2020, qualified for the 200m at the Paris Olympics with a decent timing of 21.81 in the US Olympic Trials. At the Paris Olympics, Thomas was not the strongest contender for an Olympic gold medal in women's 200m. But in a shock development, Shericka Jackson of Jamaica withdrew moments before the heats of the women's 200m, making the road to an Olympic gold for the American sprinter slightly easier.

However, the gold was still far from certain for Thomas. Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, who had shocked everyone by winning the gold medal for the women's 100m, was looking for the elusive sprint double of the 100m and the 200m. However, in the final of the women's 200m, Thomas came from behind to win the race with a timing of 21.83 seconds.

Thomas was then part of the USA teams for the women's 4x100m relay and the women's 4x400m relay. She continued her remarkable form in the relays, running the third leg in both of the races, and contributing to gold medal-winning performances from the USA in both the races.

In fact, in the finals of the women's 4x400m relay event, the USA fell just 0.1 seconds short of breaking the world and Olympic record, set by the USSR at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, as they clocked 3:15.27 seconds to win the Olympic gold medal.

For the first time since the Rio Olympics 2016, both the women's athletics relay teams from the USA returned home with an Olympic gold medal, thanks in part to Gabby Thomas.