Gabby Thomas Reflects On Women's 200 Meters Win At U.S. Olympic Trials

Gabby Thomas is talking all about her huge victory in the Women’s 200 Meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials over the weekend.

Source: Steph Chambers / Getty

Following her impressive performance over the weekend, the rising track star joined TODAY to talk about family, the Tokyo Olympics, and her record-setting speed.

Thomas, a Harvard graduate, recently emerged as a favorite in the 200-meter race in the upcoming Olympic Games, punching her ticket to Tokyo with one of the event’s best times ever. While joining TODAY live, she says, “I’m still processing it … I’m still in disbelief,” going on to talk about her health scare when a tumor was found in her liver.

When asked about what was going through her head during her record-breaking performance, Thomas admits she doesn’t remember much, thinking she was going to chase Olympics veteran Allyson Felix throughout the race.

“It’s kind of like I blacked out,” she explained. “I remember getting in the blocks and thinking that I’m going to chase Allyson the vet to 200 meters, and after that, I couldn’t feel my legs, I was kind of like, in the zone.”

Once she came out victorious, Gabby remembers exactly how she felt, saying the moment she became an Olympian definitely lived up to her imagination.

“It definitely lived up to what I expected. It’s been a long journey, it’s been years of patience and following my own path, so, to have it all come together in that moment was so surreal,” she said.

Thomas went on to talk about a health scare she experienced just a few weeks back, finding a tumor in her liver that, luckily, ended up being benign.

“It was a long time of not knowing  what was gonna happen, I didn’t know  what it was gonna mean for my health. During that time, Olympic trials were coming up, and I was just thinking, ‘If I make it out of this healthy, I’m going to do everything I can to live my life to the fullest’ and that included making the team and winning the championship.”

Now, Thomas boasts an incredible bragging right: the only woman in history who has run 200 meters faster than her is the legendary Florence Griffith Joyner. The 24-year-old knocked .33 seconds off her personal best – which she ran the day before – while recording the fastest time in 33 years. We can’t wait to see her at the Olympics along with all the other Black excellence that’s going to be on display.

See Gabby Thomas’ full interview on TODAY for yourself down below: