Grandfather of Olympic athlete Gabby Thomas proud of granddaughter’s achievements

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — The grandfather of Olympic track and field athlete Gabby Thomas, Stanley King, said he’s proud of his granddaughter and everything she has accomplished so far.

Gabby Thomas won two gold medals in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She won one in the 200-meter dash and the other in the 4×100-meter relay.

Her maternal grandfather, Stanley King, lives in the Port City and works as a pastor at New Hope Baptist Church on Dauphin Island Parkway.

He said his granddaughter was very active in the church and was always destined for sports and is extremely proud that her hard work has brought her to the 2024 Olympics.

“Most of her school years, she was a soccer player,” King said. “And then she was convinced that to get on the track team, you know, and she excelled in Massachusetts.”

Watching Thomas dominate in front of the world in Paris, the B.C. Rain High School graduate said that it’s not only him cheering her on but also the community at the church.

“They talk to me about her,” King explained. “They keep keeping up with her too, so when I walk by, they all excited about what she’s doing, too, because they grew up with and her mother grew up in New Hope as well, so yeah, everybody’s been watching.”

As the Olympics are nearing the end, one thing that King is the proudest of is that Thomas focused on her education. Thomas has both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees and a dream in mind.

“Her goal is to open up a medical clinic, you know, and I pray that she’s as successful at that as she is the track and field,” he said.

Hoping his granddaughter will keep her gold medal mentality.

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