In a TikTok post, Thomas reached out to her followers for advice about a group of three to six adult men who have been harassing her. Thomas said they often demand that she sign a stack of photos, and when she refuses, they become aggressive, shouting and blocking her path, making her feel unsafe and uncomfortable.
‘They have my flight information, and they show up at the front door of the concourse, or they show up at my gate, which means they have flight tickets and get past security,’ Thomas said in the video.
Thomas’s expression of fear for her safety has sparked a wave of solidarity in her comments, including from tennis star Coco Gauff, who has also faced a similar situation and shared her experience.
‘This happens to me too, I don’t know how it happens,’ Gauff wrote. ‘My Theory is maybe someone at the airports tips them off.’
Who is Gabby Thomas?
Gabby Thomas is a member of Team USA’s track and field team and specializes in the 100- and 200-meter sprints.
At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Thomas won a bronze medal in the 200 meters and a silver medal as part of the women’s 4×100 meter relay team. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Thomas achieved extraordinary success by winning three gold medals: one in the 200 meters, one in the 4×100 meter relay, and another in the 4×400 meter relay.