Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
On a cool April afternoon in New York, two-time Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas arrived at Omega Boutique's 100 Days Out event ahead of the Paris Olympics with understandable excitement. The grandest spectacles in any sport always have high expectations, but this time even the sponsored events have a different level of excitement. Paris experienced what many thought was a markedly different experience than the last time she and her teammates on Team USA were in the national spotlight at the 2021 Tokyo Games, which were postponed due to the coronavirus. It will be.
Thomas was a track and field athlete at Harvard University before turning professional in 2018, winning bronze and silver medals in the 200m individual at the Tokyo Olympics as part of the 4x100m relay team. Since then, the 27-year-old has continued to rise as one of women's track and field's top elite sprinters, winning the national title in the 200 meters at the 2023 U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Championships and later winning the world championships. fulfilled. A few weeks later at the track and field championships, she won a silver medal in the 200 meters and a gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay.
But if you weren't aware of the success Thomas has experienced in the nearly three years since the Tokyo Olympics, you're probably not alone. Like many Olympic sports, track and field has struggled to gain attention outside of the Games.
Thomas' recent comments criticizing the Wanda Diamond League's upcoming streaming rights deal with FloSport, saying it would take away the visibility the Peacocks had in track and field, have caught the attention of the track and field community. However, they attracted the attention of the track and field world in the future. There are things sports powers can do to keep track and field in the spotlight outside of the Olympics. The partnership of Thomas and Alexis Ohanian for the upcoming 776 Invitational, announced on April 23rd, could be a step in the right direction, but it remains to be seen how this event will be viewed. Details about what will be advertised are not known.
The timing of both deals comes ahead of perhaps the most anticipated Summer Olympics in recent memory. Not only will the global extravaganza return to its regular schedule every four years, but it will also include in-person spectators for the first time since the 2016 Rio Games. Athletes competed in front of empty stadium seats and were under strict protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic brought training and competition routines to an abrupt and dramatic halt for many athletes around the world, as the Summer Olympics were postponed to 2021. This meant that the efforts Thomas and thousands of others had put in over the past four years would be wasted. I couldn't display it right away. It also meant even less financial support for the average Olympian, which is precarious even in good times.
“It was a little difficult at the time,” Thomas said. sportico. “If you have the support of sponsors, you'll be fine. I can't say you're ready for life, but you'll be fine competing in sports. And without that, it's difficult.
“Just going to court, I didn't realize it at the time, was very expensive. We have to accept ourselves. [to trials]And you have to bring your own team, so you end up paying the coach. Anyone who wants to take them has to pay, and that costs thousands of dollars, right? The trial period is 2 weeks. So it's really unsustainable unless there's a lot of support from outside. ”
In a step toward increasing financial support for track and field athletes, World Athletics announced on April 10 that it will pay athletes who win gold medals in any of the 48 Olympic track and field events. The global athletics body will set aside $2.4 million of the IOC's revenue to pay $50,000 for individual gold medals and split the same award for relay gold medals.
“It's a great step forward to see that.” [World Athletics] Thomas said she believes the award will motivate her to train for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. “I think this award is huge because the big misconception about Olympians is that they have financial support and they have resources,” he said. And that's not true. We practiced at a local high school. We don't have great training facilities. We don't have access to all of this…anything they can do to support athletes who are truly training out of love for their sport would be great. ”
The Olympics are both a blessing and a curse when it comes to marketing sports and athletes who are not in the spotlight on a daily basis. Especially in such a short period of time, many athletes hope that a great performance at the Olympics will lead to financial support to further their athletic career through sponsorship or other means. The desire to be heard is very strong. Thomas lamented the difficulty of both winning now and earning money later.
“We have so many things to juggle,” said Thomas, who also earned a graduate degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas. “We're trying to build a team, but also adjust our personal brand, and grow the sport. I have to remind myself every day that outside of the sport, I'm just a person.”
Thomas' FloSports deal with the Diamond League is not the only deal being talked about in the track and field world, but it could dim the spotlight on her sport. Noah Lyles, the world's fastest man, recently extended his sponsorship deal with Adidas for an undisclosed amount, making him the first track and field star since Usain Bolt's $10 million annual deal with Puma. It is believed to be the most expensive contract ever.
When asked if female stars could earn similar contracts, Thomas said she believes it's absolutely possible, but believes it's a reality for most of her colleagues, regardless of gender. “I think track and field is an environment where you can definitely make a lot of money if you’re at the top. [deals like Lyles’]. I think that's good for the sport. It might get people excited about the sport and encourage sponsors and people to invest in the sport. ”
Both Thomas and Lyles will be featured prominently in NBC Sports' coverage of the 2024 World Track and Field Relays in the Bahamas on May 4-5. This relay is a qualifying event for the men's and women's 4x100m and 4x400m Olympic relays. And in less than three months, Paris will be waiting.