41.78 seconds! Yep, that’s all it took for the U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team to snatch the gold at the Paris Olympics! And if you haven’t heard of the squad, where have you been? Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, Melissa Jefferson, and Twanisha Terry. Teamwork makes the dream work, right? So, Thomas ran a solid third leg, but by the time she passed the baton, the U.S. was in third place. But wait, here comes our “That girl” Richardson, looking like she just had her morning coffee. She ran fast through the anchor leg, swooped in, and brought the win home in the rain. And they finally broke the curse that happened in Tokyo!
So, back in 2021, the U.S. women finished second in the Tokyo Olympics, with Jamaica’s star-studded team taking the gold. Fast forward to 2024, and Jamaica was missing some of its biggest stars like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah due to injuries. But let’s be real, that wasn’t the reason the U.S. took the win. The real secret sauce? The Olympic legends from London 2012. They didn’t just drop a few good luck texts; they gave the team something way better. So, what was it?
A relay win to remember
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team was on fire! And guess what? This victory was the U.S.’s first gold in the women’s 4x100m relay since 2016. In doing so, Gabby also became the first American sprinter since Allyson Felix in 2012 to grab gold in both the 200m and 4x100m at the same Games. The team crossed the line in 41.78 seconds. Now, fast forward a few months, and Gabby’s chilling with Cosmo for an interview. After snagging three gold medals (one solo and two in the relays), they asked her what it means to be part of the legendary Black women’s relay team.
Gabby, of course, dropped a gem of an answer. She explained, “We had our relay camp just a couple of days before the Olympics started, and during that time, we actually had a Zoom call with [gold medalists] Allyson Felix, Carmelita Jeter, and Tianna Bartoletta. They gave us advice and it was very inspiring because these are women that all four of us had looked up to growing up. Seeing them pass the baton to us literally, no pun intended it just meant so much.” There was not enough time for preparation when the team united to continue building upon the achievements of these pioneering women.
Gabby added, “It’s a special bond and moment, especially in a sport where most of it is individual.” The competition was significant yet it represented a spiritual honor to past champions together with the forward advancement of historic traditions through symbolic lights. They were driven by more than their training program because they understood they were substantial contributors to a historic movement. What precise actions did Allyson Felix’s team along with her execute? But what exactly did Allyson Felix and the team do?
Gabby Thomas is on a mission to outshine her idol
The U.S. women’s 4x100m relay team consisting of Tianna Madison and Allyson Felix alongside Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter faced off against Jamaican competitors on August 10, 2012, while all eyes were glued to the competition. The pressure was on! Historical achievement was the primary goal for the Americans at this competition. And boom USA won! Their track time of 40.82 seconds obliterated the previous East German record set 27 years ago. The Jamaican squad finished with a national record of 41.41 but still fell short of U.S. gold.
Felix, who had already won gold in the 200m in the games, was all smiles, adding, “It is a relief, it is a joy, it is everything. We went into this race the most comfortable I have seen this team. We were laughing and smiling. We have never been like that.” And honestly, if you were running that fast and breaking world records, you’d be smiling too! While the team was out there breaking records, a 16-year-old Gabby Thomas was sitting at home, probably thinking, ‘I wanna do that!’ Fast forward, and who do you think was the one to light that fire in Gabby’s belly? Drumroll… none other than the “Chicken Legs”? But who?
Gabby Thomas, who grew up idolizing Allyson Felix (aka “Chicken Legs” for her skinny but powerful limbs), is now stepping into her shoes in a big way. After taking home the 200m gold and relay gold in Paris, Gabby reflects on how crazy it was to follow in Felix’s legendary footsteps. “Being the first woman to win the 200m gold since Allyson Felix in 2012 is such a great feeling because I’ve looked up to her since I was a kid,” Gabby said, probably with a grin, imagining how proud Felix would be.
But it wasn’t just the gold medals that impressed Gabby. “To follow in her footsteps is such an honor, not just because of her performances but what she does off the track,” Gabby said. And Allyson Felix is clearly a fan too, calling Gabby “confident,” and saying she’s “really stepping into her own.”
Looks like Gabby’s not just chasing gold, but also a whole lot of praise from her idol. At 28, Gabby, with 5 Olympic medals, is already looking like the perfect contender for the LA28 Olympics. Meanwhile, Allyson, who retired in 2022 after collecting 11 Olympic medals, might just be chilling with a well-deserved cup of tea—while keeping an eye on Gabby. Will we see a new Allyson Felix in Gabby? Guess we’ll have to wait for the LA Olympics to find out!
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