Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas reflected on her second-place finish behind Brittany Brown at the recent Athlos event in New York City. The three-time Olympic gold medalist focused on the event’s atmosphere rather than the outcome, offering an optimistic perspective as she celebrated both her own journey and her fellow athletes’ successes.
Brown ran an outstanding 22.18 in the closing stretch, overtaking the reigning 200-meter Olympic champion, who finished second in Athlos with a time of 22.21 seconds.
In a post-race interview with Citius Mag, immediately following the 200 meters at Athlos, Thomas was asked how it had felt to see the incredible turnout after all the work that had been put in to get the event off the ground. She said:
“Um, it’s a really incredible feeling. It has been a long time coming, and it’s pretty incredible to see it come to fruition, and this is just a great celebration of all the hard work you put in this season.”
Thomas found it thrilling to witness the event blossom into a successful track meet during the 2024 season. She expressed delight with the outcome and thanked everyone who had supported the women’s track and field event.
Beyond the fierce track battles, Thomas emphasized Athlos as more than a sports event; it provided pure entertainment for both spectators in the Icahn Stadium stands and the competitors themselves.
She dubbed it “such a great event” and expressed her desire to be a part of the track meet in the future. When the host inquired about Thomas’s understanding of her peers’ thoughts and feelings regarding the track meet, she responded with a wide smile:
“Everyone’s really excited to be here. It’s been a really long season, and the fact that, you know, everyone’s here showing up and running shows how excited people are to be here because it takes a lot to continue training so many weeks after the Olympics.”
Thomas acknowledged the length of the 2024 season for many athletes. She emphasized that despite the physical challenges athletes faced after such an enormous campaign, many still attended Athlos, demonstrating the excitement the event generated in the months leading up to it.
She stated that everyone had a “great time” at the Icahn Stadium. In addition, she emphasized that her primary focus on the 2024 Olympic Games paid off as she successfully maintained her efforts and composure despite the challenges she encountered.
