"We run the same events" - Allyson Felix reveals the traits she finds similar to her in Gabby Thomas

Gabby Thomas recently received sweet words of appreciation from the former track and field athlete Allyson Felix. The latter was inducted into the Team USA Hall of Fame in May 2025, and the induction ceremony took place on July 12 at Colorado Springs.

Thomas is usually seen calling the former Olympic gold medalist, Felix, her inspiration for her career in track, and recently the latter created a full circle moment for the 28-year-old by heaping praise on her. Team USA shared a video from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame on their Instagram handle, where they were seen talking to Felix about her thoughts on Thomas.

The 39-year-old lauded the Olympic champion by calling her 'versatile' and highlighting her similarities with Thomas; she said:

"I see a bit of myself in Gabby Thomas. She is fierce. She is versatile. We run the same events, and she's really come into her own, and it's been incredible to see her shine. She is brilliant off of the track. She is phenomenal on the track and she just keeps going," said Felix.

Thomas has had an incredible career in track and field so far, as her notable performances in the Olympics and her staunch deliveries at the World Championships and several other major events have proved her billing in the sport.

She was last seen in action at the Prefontaine Classic, which took place on July 5, 2025, at Hayward Field in Eugene. She ran in the 200m and stood atop the podium by clocking 22.62s.

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Gabby Thomas opened up about how Allyson Felix inspired her in her track career

Allyson Felix is one of the prominent figures of the track and field community, as she has bagged 11 Olympic medals, including seven gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. Along with this, she also solidified her legacy by delivering notable performances at the World Championships, where she won a total of 20 medals, including 14 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals.

This impressive career shined bright in the eyes of Gabby Thomas, who looked up to Felix as her inspiration. In an interview with Athlos earlier this year, the 28-year-old opened up about how the former sprinter inspired her while growing up. Revealing that she saw herself in Felix, she said:

"Growing up, Allyson Felix did inspire me to run. I saw myself in Allyson. I saw a young black woman who was really skinny and looked little bit different than everyone else lining up on the line. She stood for more than just a sport and I saw someone who was really determined. I wanted to be that and I really saw myself in that," said Gabby Thomas.

She added:

"Throughout my years of development I have kind of modeled myself after that. Working hard, getting to where you want to go. I saw her discipline. I saw her tenacity. And I think having role models like that to look up to, that brought me where I am today."

Gabby Thomas opened her 2025 season by competing at the Texas Relays in Austin, which took place on March 29, 2025.

Edited by Tushhita Barua