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'Spoke it into existence': Gabby Thomas brings home gold in women’s 200-meter
Gabby Thomas took the gold Tuesday in the women’s 200 meters at the 2024 Olympics with a time of 21.83 seconds.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gabby Thomas took the gold Tuesday in the women’s 200 meters at the 2024 Olympics with a time of 21.83 seconds.
“We are so happy, I can't believe it. I mean, I spoke it into existence. I know I trained really hard for it, and it's such an indescribable feeling. But I am so happy, I can't believe it,” Thomas said.
Thomas added the new medal to the bronze she took home from the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
“We didn't want this to be my first Olympics. We wanted Tokyo to be the first one—to train and be prepared for the Paris Olympics—and go for gold this year,” Thomas said.
Gold for Gabrielle Thomas of USA, silver for Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia, bronze for Brittany Brown of USA during the Athletics Women's 200m Final on Day 11 of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Saint-Denis, France. (Photo by Henk Jan Dijks/Marcel ter Bals/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 6: Gabrielle Thomas of the United States reacts to winning the gold medal in the Women's 200m final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Paris, France. .Photo by Christian Liewig - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 06: Gold medalist Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal after competing in the Women's 200m Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Andy Cheung/Getty Images) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 6: Gold Medalist Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States celebrates after competing in the Women's 200m Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kevin Voigt/GettyImages) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 6: Gold Medalist Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States and Silver Medalist Julien Alfred of Team Saint Lucia celebrates after competing in the Women's 200m Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kevin Voigt/GettyImages) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 6: Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States and Julien Alfred of Team Saint Lucia reacts after competing in the Women's 200m Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kevin Voigt/GettyImages) 
PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 6: Gabrielle Thomas of the United States reacts to winning the gold medal in the Women's 200m final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 6, 2024 in Paris, France. .Photo by Christian Liewig - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
While enrolled as a graduate student at the University of Texas, Thomas chose to also double down on her track training. Thomas was a decorated runner at Harvard, earning a neurobiology and global health degree.
“Everything just went according to plan. We did everything right. It's so many hours and weeks and months of hard work that people don't see, so I really do feel like I earned it,” Thomas said. “At the same time, I can't believe that I have an Olympic gold medal right now. It's surreal.”
Thomas beat Silver medalist Julien Alfred of St. Lucia by 0.25 seconds, while Brittany Brown of the U.S. got the bronze.
In 2023, Alfred won the Bowerman Award at UT, which recognizes the year's best student-athlete in NCAA Track & Field.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.