By CHRISTIAN FRANKLIN
Opinion Editor
Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas is well known for her burst of speed and mid-distance range.
But with her latest achievement at the Grand Slam track event in Kingston, Jamaica, she managed to set one of the best times in the world.
On Saturday, Thomas ended up running her personal best in the 400m, clocking a time of 49.14 seconds, and that made her runner-up finish that combined with her 200m victory on Friday, securing her grand slam meet title for her extended sprint group.
That outstanding time set her apart and put her at status as one of the most complete sprinters in the world, which means in both the 200m and the 400m.
Thomas’s performance of 49.14 is a moment in history to be remembered. She didn’t just trend more than a half second off her previous PR of 49.68 from back in 2019, but it also placed her as the seventh fastest in American history at 400m. But the impressive moments didn’t stop there that night; Thomas’s performance came with a stacked field that included 400m gold medals.
Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic and Salwa Eid Nader of Bahrain ended up setting the fastest time ever run before July, showcasing how competitive the field was. For Thomas to hold off Paulino, it would be no easy challenge.
The Crown Victor was Naser, with a fantastic time of 48.67 seconds, setting the fastest time ever run before.
Taking that time into perspective is a tremendous achievement in women sprinting.