Is track and field facing bigger struggles than we realize? Every now and then we witness new confessions, revelations, and challenges emerging for athletes in the sport. From lower pay compared to other professional sports to limited media coverage, track and field often gets overlooked. But now, another tough reality has come to light, one that fans may not have thought about before!
Have you ever wondered why we rarely see track and field athletes making bold fashion statements before their events? The track and field star Gabby Thomas recently opened up to Kylie Kelce about a hidden struggle in track and field that many fans may not be aware of. Just days after an unsettling airport stalking incident, she spoke candidly about the challenges athletes face beyond the track. While sports like football and basketball celebrate pregame fashion with stylish tunnel shots, track and field athletes don’t always have the same opportunities. If you’ve ever thought about this, then you’re not alone. But do you know what’s really going on behind the scenes?
Gabby Thomas opens up about track and field’s hidden struggles
In a recent episode of Jason Kelce’s wife Kylie Kelce’s show ‘Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce,‘ which premiered on 5th February, 2x Olympian Gabby Thomas opened up about the challenges track and field athletes face when it comes to pregame fashion. When Kylie brought up the idea of tunnel shots for track athletes, comparing it to the stylish entrances of football and basketball players, Gabby had a lot to say. “….I think we absolutely need to bring this to track and field, and we’ve already started,” she said. “…Last season, we did a lot of our own little tunnel shots.”
But here’s the catch! The track and field athletes don’t have the same facilities as other sports. Unlike football or basketball players, they don’t have dedicated locker rooms at their venues. So where do they change after making their grand entrances? The answer might shock you. “The issue with track is we don’t have a locker room,” Gabby explained. “There’s no locker room for us to go to change.”
“We’ll just kind of go in this porta potty or like little small public bathroom and go to little corners and just like change into our uniforms after doing like our flashy walk-in moment,” she added. Just imagine putting together the perfect pregame outfit, only to struggle to find a place to change before stepping onto the track. It’s not just inconvenient, but it’s a problem that needs attention.
Gabby Thomas mentioned one of the biggest stars in track and field, Noah Lyles, who is known for making fashion statements before his races. “…Like if you watch Noah, he does it at every meet like a really great fashion intro,” she said. But even he has to find makeshift spots to change before stepping onto the track. “…I think that’s the trick with track and field. We need, like, venues that would help us support that,” Gabby continued. “But we started it, and in track, like fashion, is everywhere. People in track and field are very into it.” This is not the first time Gabby has opened up about her struggles.
Gabby’s stalking ordeal became a growing fear for her
In addition to the struggles on the track, the track and field star Gabby Thomas on last Thursday shared a deeply unsettling experience through a video on TikTok with her followers. She has been feeling unsafe due to repeated encounters with a group of middle-aged men who seem to be tracking her movements at airports across the country. These individuals appear to have access to her flight details, often showing up at gates or even near the airport entrances. “It doesn’t matter what city… They’ve come when I was traveling to and from Chicago, they’ve come when I’m traveling to and from Miami. And they have my flight information,” Thomas explained.
“What scares me is that they have my flight information even when I don’t even know what time I’m flying out sometimes—I don’t tell anyone my flight information,” Thomas shared, highlighting how unsettling the situation has become for her. Each time, they approach her with stacks of photos, demanding autographs and sometimes as many as 40 at a time. When she refuses, they become aggressive, making her feel trapped and vulnerable. This repeated harassment has left her questioning how to seek help, as the incidents occur in different locations, making it difficult to report to a single authority. 5x Olympics medalist Gabby admitted, “I fear I’m being stalked and I genuinely don’t know what to do or who to go to.”
What do you think about this alarming situation? Should stricter measures be taken to protect athletes from stalkers and aggressive autograph seekers? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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