of the United States didn’t stay in the Olympic Village the night before she raced in the 200-m final—which she won on Tuesday at Stade de France, putting both hands behind her head after crossing the finish line and simultaneously sort of screaming and crying, nstead, she crashed in the room of her boyfriend, Spencer McManes, in Paris outside the confines of the athlete space. “She needed some air-conditioning,” said McManes, moments after Thomas became the first American woman since a dozen years ago to win the Olympic 200. woke up Tuesday morning, said McManes, with a lot of emotions.
“It was just so intense,” he said. “I wouldn't say it was anxiety. It was more like excitement, weight.
You feel the weight of it.” With her primary rival, defending 200-m world champion of Jamaica, having withdrawn from the event, Thomas found herself the favorite. They discussed, analytically, how to handle these feelings: it’s probably worth reminding fans here that Thomas graduated from Harvard, where she majored in neurobiology and global health.
McManes . They decided to embrace the moment. Don’t deny it was a big deal.
Recognize the excitement and the nervousness. That’s all part of the program. And they had to eat breakfast at the same place they’ve visited a few times in Paris.
Thomas had to have her favorite item: an omelet. The approach worked wonders on Tuesday night, as Thomas held off the Olympic 100-m champion, Julien Alfred of St. Lucia, and crossed the.