American sprinter Gabby Thomas secured her first major title with a stunning victory in the women’s Olympic 200m in Paris on Tuesday.
Thomas clocked an impressive 21.83 seconds, finishing ahead of St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred, who recorded a time of 22.08 seconds. Brittany Brown, Thomas’ teammate, took the bronze with a time of 22.20 seconds.
The 27-year-old Thomas, who won bronze in the same event at the Tokyo Games three years prior, became the first American woman to win an Olympic short sprint title since her childhood idol Allyson Felix claimed the 200m gold at the 2012 London Games.
Nigeria’s Favour Ofili finished sixth in the race after a controversial start to her Olympic journey, where administrative errors had initially kept her out of the 100m event.
Julien Alfred of St. Lucia had been aiming for an Olympic sprint double following her impressive victory in the 100m on Saturday. However, Thomas, who holds the fastest time in the world this year for the 200m, was determined not to let this opportunity slip away.
The Harvard-educated athlete exploded out of the blocks and completed a beautiful bend, creating a commanding lead as she approached the home straight. Thomas maintained her pace and composure, crossing the finish line with a well-deserved gold medal.