Who is Gabby Thomas’ Coach?

Gabby Thomas is an American track and field athlete who focuses on 100m and 200m sprints and 4x100m relays.

Thomas turned to athletics in her term at the Williston Northampton School in Florence, Massachusetts. Initially, She was into sports like softball and soccer. She discovered her prowess in sprinting during sports sessions and soon found her true calling on the track and field. The legendary Allyson Felix was her inspiration for training in Athletics. In her highschool years, she broke multiple school records and earned MVP honours.

Gaby Thomas was also excelling in academics besides her successful athletics career. She joined Harvard University after highschool and she graduated neurobiology and global health at Harvard. During her time at Harvard, she continued to accomplish success in athletics. She won 22 conference titles across various events in Ivy league Athletics. She set new standards by creating school and ivy league records in 100m, 200m and indoor 60m.

In October, 2018, Thomas made a decision to turn professional. She signed a contract with New Balance which embarked on a new path in her career. She then relocated to Austin, Texas, to train under coach Tonja Buford- Bailey and to pursue master in public health from University of Texas, Austin. Under Tonja's wings, Thomas excelled on the track and found success in competitions around the world. She was the “Ivy league's most outstanding track performer” in 2017 and 2018.

Everything was going well for her until in May 2020, when she faced a provisional suspension for three whereabouts failures. This cast a shadow of uncertainty over her career. Thomas, moved forward by refuting the allegations with evidence and ultimately cleared her name in July of that same year.

In 2021, Thomas, confronted another adversity in the form of a health scare. She got an MRI scan that showed a tumor in her liver which turned out to be a benign tumor. This incident caused her a lot of mental stress. Nevertheless, Thomas' resilience and determination was so strong, she continued her career without any setbacks.

Thomas' biggest achievement came in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics representing the United States. She clocked an Impressive time of 21.61 seconds in the 200m trials and secured a spot in the Olympic team and became one of the fastest female sprinters of her generation. In the finals of the Olympics, she won bronze medals in the 200m and in the 4x100m relay, she won the silver medal. The Olympic achievement made her one of the top sprinters in the world. In the World Championships she won one gold in 4x100m relay and one silver in 200m.

Who is Tonja Buford-Bailey?

Gabby Thomas’ coach is Tonja Buford-Bailey. She had a successful career as both an athlete and a coach. She was born and raised in the United States. Tonja's career in athletics began at the University of Illinois. She graduated in 1993 and started a career as a hurdler, representing her country at the top level including Olympic games.

Tonja's athletic achievements include a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as multiple silver medals at the World Championships, the Pan American Games and the Grand Prix finals. She is considered as one of the premier hurdlers of her time

After her career as an athlete she transitioned into coaching. She joined the coaching staff at her alma mater, the University of Illinois where she quickly climbed positions and became head coach. Her pupils achieved success on both collegiate and international stages.

Tonja Buford-Bailey's Coaching Philosophy

Tonja Buford-Bailey's coaching philosophy is a holistic approach that focuses on the development of the athlete as a whole. Taking from her experiences as an elite athlete, she gives importance to nurturing not only physical abilities but also mental resilience and emotional well-being.

Throughout her career as a coach, her students have had great success. They have won numerous medals in Olympics and World Championship Titles. She has a great ability to connect with her students on a personal level, offering support and guidance both in and out off the track.