Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas faced a disturbing ordeal at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia last weekend, as a sports bettor verbally harassed her both on the track and during her interactions with fans.
The incident, which has since gone viral on social media, underscores the growing threat that sports betting and online culture pose to athletes, especially women, at the highest levels of competition.
Gabby Thomas: A Champion Targeted
Gabby Thomas, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who dazzled the world with her performances in the 200 meters and the 4x100m and 4x400m relays at the Paris Games, found herself the target of a relentless heckler at Philadelphia’s Franklin Field.
As Thomas paused to take photos and sign autographs for young fans, a man followed her, shouting personal insults and attempting to rattle her confidence before her race.
Video footage shared on social media captured the man yelling, “You’re a choke artist—you’re going down, Gabby,” as Thomas prepared to compete. The heckler later bragged online that his verbal abuse contributed to her third-place finish, even posting screenshots of his winning bets on the FanDuel sportsbook platform.
“I made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win,” he wrote, sparking outrage among fans and fellow athletes.
Athlete and Community Respond
Thomas responded directly on X (formerly Twitter), condemning both the heckler and those who support such behaviour online: “Anybody who enables him online is gross.” She emphasised that while she’s accustomed to the pressures of competition, the line was crossed when the harassment became personal and persistent.
The Grand Slam Track circuit issued a strong statement, announcing a full investigation into the incident.
“We are working to identify the individual involved and will take appropriate action as necessary. We will implement additional safeguards to help prevent incidents like this in the future. Let us be clear, despicable behaviour like this will not be tolerated,” the statement read.
A Disturbing Trend
This is not the first time Gabby Thomas has reported harassment. Earlier this year, she shared on TikTok that she was stalked by a group of men at several airports. Her experience echoes those of other female athletes, who have spoken out about the dark side of increased visibility in the age of social media and online sports betting.
The incident also highlights a troubling connection between sports betting and athlete abuse. Female tennis stars, including Caroline Garcia, have pointed to “unhealthy betting” as a key driver behind online harassment.
A recent report from major tennis governing bodies found that nearly half of abusive social media posts directed at players came from disgruntled gamblers.
Support and Solidarity
Meanwhile, Gabby Thomas’s courage in speaking out has drawn widespread support. Retired world 10,000m silver medalist and NBC Sports commentator Kara Goucher praised Thomas for exposing the reality many women face:
“You are exposing the crap that women go through and will eventually help other women as well.”
Despite the harassment, Gabby Thomas remains a beacon of excellence and resilience. Since her breakout performance in Paris, she has graced the cover of American Vogue and appeared on major U.S. talk shows. Thus inspiring a new generation of athletes.
What’s Up for the Future
The Grand Slam Track organisation has pledged to implement stronger safeguards to protect its athletes from such incidents in future. The hope is that, through greater accountability and community support, incidents like the one Gabby Thomas endured will become a thing of the past.
Moreover, Gabby Thomas stands not only as a champion on the track but also as a powerful advocate for athlete safety and respect. A role she never asked for, but one she carries with undeniable strength.
