When Gabby Thomas casually put up the third-fastest 200m time ever at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, we knew we had a new track star to keep our eye on in Tokyo. Thomas ran her first Olympic heat on Sunday, easily moving on with a second-place finish, and we (and the rest of the Internet) couldn’t help thinking like she looked like a superhero doing it. Something about the combination of her casual speed and strength, calm and in-control expression, and her hair whipping around behind her . . . nobody told us Wonder Woman qualified for the Olympics this year? And in case you didn’t know, Thomas is superhero-esque on and off the track. The sprinter is a Harvard neurobiology grad who’s now working toward her masters in public health in Texas. In her career outside of track, Thomas wants to help end healthcare disparities in the Black community. It’s safe to say she’s destined for big things, no matter how these Olympics end.
Thanks to another fast finish in the semi-finals, we’ll get to watch Thomas flash her brilliance again in the finals on Tuesday morning (8:50 a.m. ET). Ahead, check out more photos from the prelims and watch Thomas’s fast finish from her first heat!