'It was the easiest yes' - Gabby Thomas reveals unique tactic she used to acquire education sponsorship

Olympic champion Gabby Thomas explains how she managed to acquire education sponsorship without breaking sweat.

Olympic champion Gabby Thomas is one of the most learned athletes who has juggled between education and Track and Field.

The Georgia-born American, is a graduate of Harvard University where she studied neurobiology and global health as an undergraduate. In 2023, a year before the Paris Olympic Games, Thomas finished her master of public health degree in epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

The 200m Olympic champion has finally opened up about how she'd managed to acquire sponsorship to help fund her Masters degree. In an interview with the Networth and Chill podcast, Gabby, 28, pointed out that New Balance offered to sponsor her education without her needing to give any explanation after just a simple ask.

"The masters degree at the time  was because I actually had my sponsorship from New Balance, who happened to be my first partner. I negotiated in my first contract with them that they pay my graduate school," she said.

"I remember being in college, negotiating this contract and asking for that. I was told No, they don't do that. And I was truly asking them. New Balance is one of those partnerships I knew were very aligned and I genuinely felt they would support me and my dreams on and off  the track. It was the easiest yes. They said yes immediately.. there weren't any negotiations. I was so glad that I asked them."

Thomas, who was raised in Massachusetts, came into the limelight after bagging three Olympic gold medals in Paris. Since then, her earnings and life in general has improved, and has become one of the leading social media influencers. 

Thomas, who was part of the US 4x100m and 4x400m relay team, in which they ran an American record and the second-fastest time ever, advised young athletes to invest wisely when they have the opportunity since life on track is very short.

"I have a financial advisor who directs me on investments. We don't make a lot of money on the track so diversifying your income is equally important. We don't need to keep relying on track income. We have to get different streams of income. Leveraging social media is an opportunity.

"We are young when we get into this sport, we need a lead to guide us. A lot of people around us don't have our best interests but I'm lucky to have a team that knows the sport."

Thomas signed up for the inaugural season of the Michael Johnson founded Grand Slam Track in November, whose debut is set for April in Kingston, Jamaica.