Today, Gabby Thomas is the reigning queen of the 200. Having won three Olympic golds in Paris, the American sprinter has solidified herself as the woman to beat in the 200m event. However, none of this would be possible if it were not for a career-defining moment. In 2021, Thomas started the year with dreams of making it to the Olympics but didn’t expect to come within touching distance of making history.

On June 26, 2021, Thomas clocked in a 200-meter time of 21.61 seconds at the U.S. Olympic trials. While the sprinter was gunning for the win, she didn’t expect to break Allyson Felix’s meet record and become the second-fastest woman in history after Florence Griffith Joyner. Thomas recalled just how she planned everything out to ace the race while describing her disbelief.

“You know, I knew I had prepared. I had done everything in my head. I moved to Austin, picked up, and joined this group of girls who had already made the Olympic team. My coach had already been an Olympian,” the Harvard graduate said on The Running Effect podcast in January 2022. The Olympian described the feeling as “surreal.” While Thomas understood she had set herself up for success, the athlete didn’t think she would get so close to Flo-Jo’s 21.34-second, 200-meter world record set in 1988.

“And so that was my moment. And I mean beyond my wildest dreams, I not only made the Olympic team, but I won the championship and also had the fastest time since Flo-Jo at that time and again, I was in shock. I didn’t expect that for myself, but like I said, I had done everything. I was confident in myself that I had done everything I was able to do by the time I got on that line,” explained the track and field icon. The performance made Gabby Thomas an instant American favorite.

However, little did the Georgia native know that her Jamaican rival Elaine Thompson-Herah would get even closer just two months later at the Tokyo Olympics finals. Herah clocked in 21.53 seconds across 200 meters, winning gold in the process. Yet, Thomas was happy to walk away with a bronze because she put her career on the line just to get to the Tokyo Olympics, even facing life-threatening hurdles!

Gabby Thomas was ready to take a drastic step in her career

As Gabby Thomas prepared for the 2021 US Olympic Trials, she also faced a major hurdle: a liver tumor scare. Despite the uncertainty and waiting for test results, she pushed through, continuing her intense training with a sharp mental focus. In a moment of raw honesty, she promised God, “If I am healthy, I’m going to go out and win Trials.” Fortunately, the tumor was benign, and with a clear mind and fierce determination, she powered through. Failure was not an option for her!

On the Running Effect podcast, Thomas revealed exactly what she had decided to do if she failed to qualify for Tokyo 2020. “I had trained really hard, and I thought, you know, this is it. So this is my opportunity to make the Olympic team,” disclosed the Olympic gold medalist. The 28-year-old gave herself an ultimatum that she would either succeed or quit the sport.

“If I don’t make the team, then I’m just gonna do something else… I’ll do another job. I’ll just not take track,” said Gabby Thomas. Thankfully, Thomas didn’t give up track and field after decisively booking her ticket to Tokyo. The ‘do-or-die’ drive helped push the athlete beyond what she thought was possible, into world record territory.

Since then, the world’s fastest epidemiologist has only gotten better. Thomas improved her previous personal best to 20.60 seconds at Hayward Field last year. This year she once again showed those improvements on the Olympic track, winning gold in the 200-meter, 4×100-meter, and 4×400-meter events in Paris.

Even after the Olympics, Gabby Thomas has continued to make strides in helping revolutionize women’s track and field by helping Aleix Ohanian make Athlos NYC a reality. Yet, do you think the athlete has what it takes to finally overtake Flo-Jo’s record? Let us know in the comments.