Olympic Champion Gabby Thomas Shares How She Overcame Burnout

Gabby Thomas doesn't believe in holding back. At just 27 years old, the track-and-field star has already racked up a lifetime worth of achievements. She's a Harvard University graduate with a master's degree in public health from the University of Texas, an NCAA Champion, a World Champion in the 200-meter and the 4x100 meter relay, and a three-time Olympic medalist, recently winning the 200-meter gold at the Paris Olympics.

At Harvard, Thomas studied neurobiology and global health, all while setting school and Ivy League records in the 100 meters, 200 meters and indoor 60 meters. Thomas went on to win 22 conference titles in six different events during just three years of college track and field, before she ultimately traded her last year of college eligibility to go pro with New Balance. To say that Thomas kept busy during her college years would be an understatement. But the truth is, after her sophomore collegiate track season in 2014, Thomas found herself on the verge of burnout.

"I had gotten to a place in my college career where I felt like I had given so much to track. I was feeling a little bit less whole in other areas of my life," Thomas tells PS in an interview conducted before the athlete qualified for the Paris Olympics, acknowledging that being a college athlete "can be very intense."

Thomas was struggling throughout the mid-2010s, when high-profile athletes weren't having the candid conversations about mental health they are today. It was still years away from Naomi Osaka skipping a press conference to protect her mental health; Simone Biles withdrawing from the Tokyo Olympics while battling "the twisties;" Michael Phelps opening up about his experience with depression.

Without other athletes to follow, Thomas ended up following her own instincts — and they were telling her to make a bold choice. She decided to say yes to studying abroad in Dakar, Senegal, even though that meant missing summer regionals, NCAA national championships, and the USA Championships — the track-and-field competitions that had, until that point, defined her college experience. While many student athletes may hesitate to study abroad for an entire semester — and risk falling behind on training — Thomas says Harvard was uniquely encouraging. "That said, my coach was not excited about it. But he accepted it and he understood where I was coming from," she says

Of course, Thomas was still apprehensive about going abroad. She had to take an entire summer off training — one of her longest breaks ever. What if she lost her physical prowess? Would she come back and lag way behind her competitors? Or even more worrisome: What if she lost her emotional edge? What if she loved not being a track athlete so much that she couldn't re-commit when it was time to come home?

Still, Thomas knew that she needed a break in order to sustain a professional track-and-field career. "We sacrifice a lot for track — whatever you love, you sacrifice a lot for it. And so I needed that [time] for me," she says. Ultimately, she credits the time she spent abroad for providing the mental reset she needed to continue dominating in track-and-field, eventually setting her up for a successful re-entry into the sport (and eventually, the Olympics).

"That trip really helped me with my track career at the end of the day, because I came back from it feeling very refreshed," she says. "I don't think it was a coincidence that literally [the] next season I ended up winning NCAAs and breaking the collegiate record."

Years later and with even more accolades under her belt, Thomas is able to look back at the choice that felt so monumental at the time with fondness. She says she's continued to choose this balance throughout her career, over and over again. "I needed that time to really reflect on what I wanted in my life and what I wanted to do. That's why I feel like having that balance is so important," she says. "You need to really be enjoying the entirety of your life and really have the sense of purpose to have success in what you're doing."

Make no mistake, Thomas's schedule as a Team USA track-and-field athlete is still jam-packed. Her training is intense, and the mental pressure is on. But she remains committed to listening to herself and maintaining balance, which is what's allowed her to stay at the top of her game. "You need to really be enjoying the entirety of your life and really have a sense of purpose to have success in what you're doing," Thomas says. "As long as you are happy and loving what you're doing and passionate about it, then you will find success."

Sierra Chanell Patrick is a former dual-sport Division I collegiate athlete turned writer, producer, and digital strategist. You may also recognize Sierra from hosting a variety of content for POPSUGAR, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hearst Media, and more.

Chandler Plante is an assistant editor for PS Health & Fitness. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for People magazine and contributed to Ladygunn, Millie, and Bustle Digital Group. In her free time, she overshares on the internet, creating content about chronic illness, beauty, and disability.