A 27-year-old Harvard graduate and gold medalist reveals that her job in the health-care industry aided her success in the Olympics.

In the 2024 Paris Games women's 200-meter final on Tuesday, American sprinter Gabby Thomas won her first Olympic gold medal, which she attributes, in part, to her second job.

A 27-year-old Olympian, who won bronze and silver at the Tokyo games, manages her career in sports while working in healthcare.

Thomas has a bachelor's degree in neurobiology from Harvard University and a master's degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center.

In the months leading up to the Games, Thomas trained three to six hours a day, but at night, she worked at an Austin volunteer health-care clinic for people without insurance.

Her success as a professional athlete has been greatly influenced by her career outside of track, as she revealed to NBC News.

""I became successful in track and field by running part-time, and I believe it's crucial for my mental health to have other activities in my life that help me achieve my goals and make me feel fulfilled," she stated."

Thomas emphasized that having a second career aids in maintaining focus and reducing stress from the rigors of training, as she spoke to Olympics.com prior to the race.

"Thomas expressed his gratitude to Olympics.com, stating, "I am always thankful for the opportunity to pursue my passion and make a living out of it, even on days when I am exhausted and struggling to breathe from practice.""

Volunteering at the clinic and making a difference in people's lives makes me feel fulfilled and passionate. It's all thanks to gratitude.

Although Thomas has aspirations to compete in Los Angeles in 2028 and win more medals, she stated that she has an even greater objective: to establish a hospital or nonprofit that would make health care information and access more accessible to everyone.

She told NBC News that she hoped to continue letting her passions guide her actions.

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