Gabby Thomas is one of the fastest people at the and in the world. The U.S.
runner is vying for a gold medal in the women’s 200-meter race final on Tuesday, Aug. 6. She calls sprinting her “happy place.
” “I feel so happy running when I see the finish line in my sights, I just have that boost that I know I can get there, stretch my legs out and go,” Thomas told NBC after posting the in the 200-meter semifinals on Aug. 5. The 27-year-old athlete previously competed in the Tokyo Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal in the women’s 200-meter and silver in the women’s 4x100 meter relay.
Thomas is also impressive off the track. She holds a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology from Harvard University and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center. After training three-to-six hours a day, Thomas in Austin, Texas, for people who don't have health insurance.
She leads a hypertension program there and told NBC News she ultimately dreams of running a hospital or a nonprofit to expand access to healthcare. Here’s what to know about the track and field star, and her health: While other runners might turn to high-tempo music for a boost of energy before they compete, Thomas doesn’t listen to her “pump-up playlist” at all before her race. “I want to be so Zen, I want to be so relaxed, and I want to preserve my energy,” she .
“And then the split second when the gun goes off, that’s when I want to feel that pump-up energ.