American sprinter Gabby Thomas once aspired to run a hospital but found her life transformed by Olympic success in 2024.
Three-time Olympic champion Gabby Thomas has always been a woman of immense ambition but before she became a dominant force on the track, she had her sights set on an entirely different dream.
Thomas, who clinched gold in the 200m race at the 2024 Paris Olympics, has recently opened up about the aspirations that once defined her before athletics took center stage in her life.
In a heartfelt conversation on the Your Rich BFF podcast, Thomas revealed that she initially wanted to dedicate her life to healthcare, with dreams of becoming the CEO of a hospital.
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The American sprinter’s passion for making a difference led her to pursue degrees in Neurobiology and Public Health from Harvard University and The University of Texas Health Science Center, respectively. However, the journey to the top of the Olympic podium changed everything.
“I wanted to make a difference and I wanted to gain just more of a foundation. My dream was to get this master’s, do some fellowships and run a hospital and like just be that change. I wanted to be that boss and be that CEO. That was a dream job. While I was training, I started working at a clinic and the Olympics was kind of a pipe dream,” Thomas shared.
Her words paint a picture of a young woman who saw herself not just as an athlete, but as someone capable of transforming the healthcare industry. She had a roadmap for success that did not initially include the Paris Olympics or the glory that came with it.
But fate had different plans. Thomas, who completed her master’s degree in 2023, found herself thrust into rigorous Olympic training shortly after. The transition was swift, unexpected, and life-altering.
“I finished my master’s in 2023, right before we started training for the Paris Olympics. Everything happened so fast after that, and I made the Paris Olympic team and got the gold medal, and the whole trajectory of my life changed,” she said.
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Her victory in Paris catapulted her into the international spotlight, changing the direction of her career and forcing her to reevaluate her goals. While she remains deeply passionate about healthcare, the reality of being an Olympic champion has added new dimensions to her journey.
Now, as she stands at the pinnacle of athletic success, Thomas must reconsider her future in a way she never anticipated. She acknowledges that her original plan of running a hospital may have to wait, or at the very least, be reshaped in light of her newfound fame and influence.
Her journey to this moment was never just about athletic prowess. Before stepping onto the world’s biggest stage, Thomas carefully considered the environment she would thrive in—both academically and athletically.
Reflecting on her college decision, she emphasized the importance of culture and support.
“When I was choosing my college to go run at, it was from the lens of which team has the best culture and which team do I feel like I can thrive in, like, ‘Are they going to push me? Are they going to hold me accountable?'” Thomas said in an interview on A Touch More with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe.
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She found that balance at Harvard University, where she competed in multiple sprinting events, including the 60m, 100m, and 200m. Her time there not only sharpened her athletic abilities but also deepened her intellectual pursuits in the medical field.
