How Gabby Thomas is turning an Olympic podium into a platform for change

Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “The bar keeps getting higher and higher,” she concedes with a smile, though this is not confined solely to an explosion of records in athletics in recent months, having run herself the third-fastest women’s 200m ever at the US Olympic trials. I aspire to be like them, I hope I can do the same thing, and do that same service for young Black girls anywhere, who have multiple passions, multiple dreams and who have all these things they want to do.” Her major breakthrough, which also included silver in the women’s 4x100m relay, was initially in jeopardy just days out from the trials in Eugene back in June. open image in gallery Gabby Thomas celebrates winning bronze in the women’s 200m “I ended up praying so much; honestly, prior to that I wasn’t very religious, but when things like that are happening, it’s very hard not to be. Getting the message out is important to me.” Thomas’ message will only continue to grow louder as part of this sizzling generation of female sprinters, joining Christine Mboma, Shericka Jackson and Dina Asher-Smith in the hunt to topple Thompson-Herah at next year’s World Championships in Oregon.