Olympian Gabby Thomas details scary ordeal with 'weirdo' fan at Philadelphia race
Gabby Thomas has revealed that a 'weirdo' fan verbally abused her and followed her around at a track meet over the weekend.
Thomas, who won three gold medals at the Paris Olympics last summer, competed at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia - ultimately finishing fourth in the 100-meter sprint.
And after she posted on X to thank fans for their support at the race, one provocateur took to the replies to take credit for Thomas' disappointing result.
The X account, named 'Mr 100k a day,' attached a video of him heckling Thomas, as he bragged in the post about making her lose and winning parlays he placed.
Thomas then publicly criticized his behavior as she quote-tweeted his message to her 81,000 followers.
'This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults,' she said. 'Anybody who enables him online is gross.'
Thomas added in a subsequent post that she 'wasn't even going to tweet about it but [did] since he's bragging.'
She also replied 'Facts' when another fan wrote: '... This type of thing only happens to the greatest athletes in each sport...'
As seen in a video posted by the heckler, who was just feet away from Thomas, he called her a 'choke artist' before repeatedly saying 'you going down.'
However, he also made things personal as he said he mentioned Thomas having a white husband, and said he would instead be rooting for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden because she has a black husband.
In another online reply, Thomas actually said that 'the heckling is tolerable, it's following me around the stadium that's wild.'
She also added that, aside from the heckler, 'overall the fans and spectators at this meet were the absolute best!'
Legendary sprinter and Grand Slam Track Commissioner Michael Johnson responded to her troubling claims and said the organization was investigating the incident.
'So sorry you had to experience this Gabby!,' he said. 'We are working to identify the individual involved and will take appropriate action as necessary. Despicable behavior like this will not be tolerated.'
Unfortunately, this is not the first harrowing situation that Thomas has found herself in this year.
In January, she said that a group of men have been following her around at airports.
Thomas alleged in a TikTok that the men have asked her to sign pictures, and act 'aggressive and hostile' when she rebuffs them.
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