It was the year 2021, when Gabby Thomas ran like the wind in Eugene, Oregon, for the Tokyo Olympics team trials. When she crossed the finish line after running the 200m dash, she celebrated with her arms in the air and gratitude in her heart. In that moment, she realized that she had just become the second fastest woman in the 200m after Florence Griffith-Joyner. It’s been 4 years since that extraordinary feat, and Thomas still cherishes the moment that brought her closer to Flo-Jo.

On October 7, in the latest episode of Welcome To The Party, Thomas told the hosts how everything came together in 2021, after she placed right below Florence Griffith-Joyner in the list of fastest women in 200m. She revealed that she was absolutely shocked when she made the team after the 2021 Olympic Trials. But her story had already begun with a 21.61-second record. She recalled, “I had run the second fastest time in Flo-Jo, too, at that time. So, suddenly, now I’m a medalist, favorite, and like the whole trajectory of my life changed instantly. Like, in 21.61 seconds to be exact.” 

Her shock lingered for a moment. But Gabby Thomas claimed that deep down, she knew that it was her hard work paying off. She used to be the first one on the public track during her time at Harvard. She was the last one to leave the premises. The sprinter didn’t go out every other night and ate the right stuff. In the end, she became the second-fastest 200m sprinter and the bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics. The 28-year-old claimed, “It all just culminated in that moment, and it worked out for me.” The Tokyo Olympics also saw her rise against former powerhouses. 

Carrying the weight of newfound expectations, Gabby Thomas lined up against sprinting legends like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Elaine Thompson-Herah in the Olympic 200m final. Despite the pressure, she held her composure, and powered through the curve and crossed Fraser-Pryce in the final stretch to clinch bronze in 21.87 seconds. That marked the rise of Thomas as the future of the sport.

However, in the same year, Elaine Thomson-Herah replaced Thomas from the second spot in the roster of fastest-women in 200m after clocking 21.53 seconds. Later, the second position was being taken by Shericka Jackson in 2023, after she ran a solid 21.41 seconds at World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Today, Florence Griffith-Joyner still holds the title of the fastest woman even recorded (21.34 seconds in 200m at the 1988 Seoul Olympics), with Jackson and Thomson-Herah taking 2nd and 3rd sport, respectively. But, Thomas improved her 2021 Olympics trials time and clocked 21.60 seconds in 2023 at Hayward field, Eugene. And now, the 28-year-old sits at no.4 position. With this, the young American sprinter looks aspires to become the fastest woman in 200m.

Gabby Thomas reveals her game plan to surpass Florence Griffith-Joyner

It has been 37 years, and Flo-Jo’s record is still untouched. But like many others, Thomas also desires to surpass this time. Prior to her gold medal at the Paris Olympics, she talked to The Guardian and revealed her strategy to beat Griffith-Joyner’s record. She claimed, “I am very type A and into analysing how I run. I’ll talk to my coach about it over and over again. She tells me to try not to get wrapped up into it all the time.” 

With the eagerness to improve, she practiced the stint over and over again. Things were, of course, a bit technical. But that’s the kind of training that keeps the athletes championship-ready. However, Flo-Jo still seemed unreachable. Gabby Thomas continued, “When you look at Flo-Jo’s 200m world record her second 100m is insane, astronomical in fact. So that’s what you really want to do: your first 100m is setting you up to have an unreal second one.” Well, Griffith-Joyner is the only woman to have run 100m in 10.49 seconds, becoming the fastest woman. 

And beating a legend like her requires a commendable magnitude of training and discipline. Thomas is already pretty close to reaching Flo-Jo. But after she recovers from the Achilles’ injury, can we actually get to witness her becoming the new fastest woman on Earth?