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Parent's unyielding support has shaped Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas' journey through academic struggles and athletic triumphs to multiple gold medal victories.
Fresh from winning three gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, American sprinter Gabby Thomas has become a household name but her journey to the top was anything but smooth.
Faced with significant challenges it was the unwavering support and insistence of her mother Jennifer Randall that kept Thomas on track literally and figuratively.
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For many, Thomas' saga began at the Tokyo 2020/2021 Olympics during a gripping 200-meter race where she secured a bronze medal, finishing behind Elaine Thompson-Herah and Christine Mboma.
While standing on the podium was an achievement, it was not enough for Thomas. Her ambition was fueled by a desire to not just participate, but to dominate, a lesson she credits to her mother’s influence.
"Three years later, the Stade de France witnessed the sprinter not only win gold in the 200m but also add two more Olympic championships to her list of achievements, in the 4x100m relay and the 4x400m," Thomas recounted as per Marca.
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Despite her athletic prowess Thomas was close to giving up on multiple occasions.
During an interview with the LA28 project promoting the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,Thomas humorously admitted.
"My mom forced me into it. I wanted to play softball with friends," Thomas said.
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Her mother's belief in her potential was unshakeable. In a heartfelt moment on 'The Daily Show', Thomas shared her mother's encouraging words: "I had a light in me, and that I was going to shine very brightly.
"I was actually failing. Not like that cute 'failing,' where people are like, 'Haha!' Like, I was gonna drop the class," she confessed.
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The turning point came from recalling her mother's own struggles and triumphs.
Randall, who faced a challenging childhood and poverty, managed to pursue a PhD while raising Gabby and her brother Andrew.
"I remember thinking, if she could do that, then whatever I was doing was not hard," Thomas reflected, drawing strength from her mother's resilience.
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Inspired by her mother's example, she chose an elite track program in Austin, Texas, aligning closely with a top-level educational institution.
"I was not even close to being an Olympian myself. But I forced myself to go train with them, and I forced myself to get my butt kicked in practice every day for two years, so that when the time came, I was ready to make the Olympic team," she explained.
Thomas' sacrifices have clearly paid off as she not only earned her master's degree in public health but she also achieved remarkable success on the global stage with five Olympic medals to her name and her eyes firmly set on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
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