Gabby Thomas Sprints to 200-Meter Gold Medal for the United States by a Big Margin

Gabrielle Thomas of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal after competing in the Women's 200m Final on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in Paris on Aug. 6, 2024. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

SAINT-DENIS, France—Before Gabby Thomas set foot on the Stade de France’s purple track, surrounded by 80,000 or so screaming spectators, her coach gave her some last-minute advice.

“The only thing I needed to do was get the lead. Get the lead and then finish strong,” Thomas said, recounting Tonja Buford-Bailey’s counsel. “And I did that.”