Team USA track phenomenon Gabby Thomas has revealed a recent string of ‘stalking’ incidents she’s been the subject of, with people appearing to follow her around different airports throughout the country.
Thomas spoke out about the ‘three to six men’ who have been waiting for her at airports in Chicago and Miami on TikTok, trying to seek advice to how to end the seemingly disgusting moments.
Her plea for help has brought her support from all corners of the internet, including an admission from tennis star Coco Gauff that Thomas is not alone in her experiences.
‘This happens to me too, I don’t know how it happens,’ Gauff said. ‘My theory is maybe someone at the airport tips them off.’
As proof of what Thomas is asking for help on, she replied to a comment with the advice of videoing the incidents to try to scare the stalkers off with a clip of two men at Chicago’s O’Hare airport.
The clip shows two white men, both in hoodies, turning away from the camera when they realize Thomas is recording, with one pulling a hood over his face to cover it when the Olympian gets close with her phone. The other man had a smirk on his face at the beginning of the video.
Team USA track star Gabby Thomas has revealed a recent string of ‘stalking’ incidents
Thomas posted about the incidents looking for advice as to who to stop it from happening
Thomas said the men approach her to sign photos of her, with she thinks the intention to sell them. The problem is also not airline specific, with the clip of the two hooded men looking like it was after a United flight.
‘At this point, every time I travel, I’m afraid that these men, it’s three to six of them, middle-aged, are going to show up and harass me,’ Thomas said.
‘They have my flight information. And they show up at the front door of the airport at the correct concourse or they show up at my gate, which means they have flight tickets and they get past security and all that.’
‘And they show up and they ask me to sign a bunch of these photos and pictures of me, like 40 of them. I don’t know what they’re doing with them, probably selling them, I don’t care. What scares me is that they have my flight information.’
‘I don’t even know what time I’m flying out sometimes. I don’t tell anyone my flight information. I’ve changed all my email passwords, I don’t know if they’re hacking me. But they get really aggressive and hostile if I say “no.”‘
‘When I’m by myself, it’s really scary. They got really hostile with my boyfriend yesterday. It’s not even airline-specific but I don’t know how they’re getting my flight information. And it’s really starting to freak me out.
‘And honestly, I don’t know who to go to about this. Do I go to the police? Do I go to airport security?’
When Thomas asks the men that approach her how they got her flight information, she says they lie and make up excuses about being in the right place at the right time.
Thomas’ admission led tennis star Coco Gauff to speak up that she’s been subject to the same
Thomas captured a video of two men who apparently are stalkers around her in Chicago
Thomas says to end the interactions she just walks away. It appears these men do not follow her out of the airport.
‘I don’t get why people can’t respect privacy. I really don’t get it. I don’t like feeling unsafe traveling. I don’t know what to do. Any advice is welcome,’ Thomas concluded the video.
Fellow Team USA and rugby star Ilona Maher replied in the comments, ‘So scary, gabby.’
Thomas replied, ‘ These guys are done. When I figure this out they won’t be harassing anyone else.’
There has yet to be a statement released about Thomas’ video from USA Track and Field. No police report has been made public about the incidents either.
