Three-time Olympic gold medallist Gabby Thomas says she was verbally harassed by a man at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia last weekend, marking another troubling instance of athlete abuse in 2025.
Thomas, who claimed gold in the 200 metres and both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the Paris Olympics, took to social media to recount the encounter. She said the man followed her as she interacted with fans, shouting personal insults.
“Anybody who enables him online is gross,” Thomas wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Her post responded to a video of a spectator yelling, “You’re a choke artist – you’re going down, Gabby,” while she was on the starting line. The individual later boasted online that his heckling helped secure a winning parlay, sharing screenshots of bets placed on FanDuel.
Grand Slam Track officials condemned the incident and launched a formal investigation, pledging to identify the individual and enforce stricter security. “Despicable behavior like this will not be tolerated,” organizers said in a statement.
Thomas finished third in the short sprints group in Philadelphia, part of the new Grand Slam Track circuit’s inaugural season.
Despite her success and rising fame—including a Vogue cover and appearances on major U.S. talk shows—Thomas has spoken candidly about the challenges of public life. Earlier this year, she revealed being stalked by a group of men in multiple airports.
The incident underscores a growing link between gambling and athlete harassment. Tennis star Caroline Garcia and other female athletes have voiced concerns about abuse tied to “unhealthy betting” behaviors.
A 2023 report from tennis governing bodies found nearly half of abusive online messages were sent by disgruntled gamblers.
Former 10,000m world silver medallist and NBC Sports commentator Kara Goucher expressed support for Thomas on X: “You are exposing the crap that women go through and will eventually help other women as well.”
