She upgraded her gold collection to diamond.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas got engaged to now-fiancé Spencer McManes as she gears up for her jam-packed spring season.
The 28-year-old American sprinter said she was surprised when her boyfriend of two years popped the question during an intimate rooftop proposal complete with flowers, Thomas’ best friend and a photographer during the couple’s stay at an Airbnb in Austin.
“Normally he’s very bad with surprises—and this was the one surprise I think I’ve ever witnessed him keep,” Thomas told Vogue announcing her engagement.
McManes, the founder of the non-alcoholic beverage company Kaviva, hadn’t been too subtle with the clues hinting at the big moment.
He took his future wife to ring shopping for Valentine’s Day, made reservations at Thomas’ favorite restaurant and ensured her nails were in peak condition at a moment’s notice.
Thomas earned three gold medals at last year’s Paris Olympics — her second Summer Games appearance.
She eclipsed her inaugural first-place finish after dominating the field in the Women’s 200m sprint, in a blazing time of 21.83 seconds.
She was also a member of the gold medal-winning 4×100 and 4×400 meter relay teams.
McManes, a former Yale football player, knew little about Track and Field before dating Thomas but was soon wearing “Team Gabby” shirts to her meets.
The couple was spotted celebrating Thomas’ 200-meter win, tightly embracing before the American-flag-clad runner took a selfie to document the moment.
The couple first began talking in 2021 when Thomas’ friends suggested McManes as a potential suitor.
Thomas made the first move, where she followed McManes on Instagram and the two talked about their shared love for pizza.
Seven months of flirty texts culminated in multiple dates and later a relationship even though McManes’ Yale and Thomas’ Harvard are bitter rivals.
“I fell in love with him despite the fact he went to Yale,” Thomas told the outlet.
The whirlwind French excursion grew the pair’s relationship, lighting the extra spark that exploded into the engagement.
“We grew closer through it,” McManes told the outlet. “Last season helped us solidify our relationship and work really well as a team through the ups and downs.”
Thomas’ 2025 season is set to begin at her hometown Austin Relays on March 29, she announced in an Instagram post.
In November, Thomas signed with the brand new racing league Grand Slam Track and will be competing at several meets starting with a jaunt down in Kingston, Jamaica on April 4.
She will also run at events in Miami, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Oregon.
Thomas will finish her heavy schedule at New York’s ICAHN Stadium for the Women’s-only ATHLOS NYC in October.
