The American sprinter smoked the field to win the women’s 200-meter race on Tuesday for her first career Olympic gold medal, putting an American back on top of the podium in this event for the first time since Allyson Felix won in 2012.
The 27-year-old roared past her competitors around the turn and maintained a sizable lead the rest of the way, finishing with a 21.83.
“I don’t think it could have gone any better,” Thomas told reporters.
Thomas screamed and placed her hands on her head after crossing the finish line, which she described as “the happiest moment of my life.”
When Felix won the event in London, she broke a drought of four straight Olympics without an American gold in the women’s 200-meter.
Gwen Torrence had made it an American three-peat during the 1992 Games in Barcelona after Florence Griffith-Joyner won in Seoul in 1988 and Valerie Brisco-Hooks claimed gold in Los Angeles in 1984.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2024 Gabby Thomas celebrates with the American flag after winning Olympic gold in the 200-meter final on Aug. 6, 2024. REUTERS Gabby Thomas runs past the field to win gold in the 200-meter final at the Olympics on Aug. 6, 2024. AP
Thomas, who earned a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology at Harvard and a Master’s degree in public health from University of Texas Health Science Center, was inspired to run track after watching Felix on TV at her grandmother’s house.
“I internalized your silent confidence and poise and the strength that you had when you ran,” Thomas told Felix in an Elle interview before the Olympics. “It’s something I think about all the time when I’m running now. Because of the way you carried yourself, I am also very aware of how I carry myself.”
Thomas bested Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who finished at 22.08 after beating out American Sha’Carri Richardson for gold in the 100-meter on Saturday.
Gabby Thomas reacts after winning gold in the 200-meter final at the Olympics on Aug. 6, 2024. AP Gabby Thomas (lthird from bottom) crosses the finish line to win gold in the 200-meter final at the Olympics on Aug. 6, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
American Brittany Brown earned bronze at 22.20 for her first Olympic medal.
“You can’t take a gold medal away. This is all I wanted,” said Thomas, who also will compete in the 4×100 relay. “If I didn’t get this gold medal today, I don’t know what I would have done.”
Thomas, who claimed silver in the 200 at last year’s world championships, earned two medals at the Tokyo Games three years ago, when she took bronze in the 200-meter and was part of the 4×100-meter relay team that earned silver.
Gabby Thomas (c.) reacts after crossing the finish line to win the 200-meter Olympic final on Aug. 6, 2024. REUTERS Gabby Thomas takes a selfie with boyfriend Spencer McManes after winning Olympic gold in the 200-meter on Aug. 6, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
Her victory Tuesday was the second by an American sprinter in Paris. Noah Lyles won the men’s 100-meter dash Sunday in a thrilling photo finish.
“It really was so inspiring, hearing Noah go after what he wanted and take it,” Thomas said. “I knew that if I were in any position in this race, I could still go after it and take it if I had to.”
— With AP
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