- Gabby Thomas is competing in the 200m final at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
- She wears an arm sleeve when she competes to remind her to pump her arms.
- Arm sleeves are typically worn for recovery, track coaches tell Women's Health.
Things are heating up at the Olympic Games' track, with several crucial finals ahead. A big race people are watching is the 200 meter finals, with Team USA's Gabby Thomas going in as a favorite.
The 27-year-old cruised to the top of the pack in the semifinals, with only St. Lucia's Julien Alfred (who beat Sha'Carri Richardson in the 100m race) joining her in the under-22-second group, per Olympics.com. Gabby is also a Harvard University graduate who currently works at an Austin, Texas, volunteer health care clinic for people without insurance, per NBC.
But while you watch Gabby race, you might notice that she’s wearing a sleeve on one arm. What’s that about?
Here's what to know about Gabby Thomas' arm sleeve—including what experts have to say about its use on the track.
Meet the Experts: Sprinting coach and sports performance consultant Derek Hansen. Doug Sklar, CPT, a track coach and founder of New York City fitness training studio PhilanthroFIT.
Why does Gabby Thomas use an arm sleeve?
In 2021, Gabby opened up about using an arm sleeve to Women’s Running. “For a lot of people, they’re aesthetic,” she shared. “For me, I feel like it’s a reminder out of the blocks to drive my arm up.”
Feeling the sleeve on her arm makes her think, “Okay, drive the arm,” which helps propel her forward. “That’s what I wear it for, but I might be the only one who uses it as a cue for that,” she said.
Gabby typically changes which arm she wears the sleeve on, as well as whether she wears one or two of them.
Why do other athletes use arm sleeves?
Although Gabby may use the sleeve as a reminder of her form, that's not the only way these arm sleeves can be used.
“Usually, these upper body compression sleeves are used for ‘recovery’ purposes to help with circulation and venous return,” sprinting coach and sports performance consultant Derek Hansen tells Women's Health.
Sleeves can also be worn to help keep the joint warm, as well as disperse any swelling or inflammation, he notes. “There are reasons you can wear sleeves as it relates to injury and recovery,” Hansen adds.
But the reasons for a sleeve can vary person-to-person, says Doug Sklar, CPT, a track coach and founder of New York City fitness training studio PhilanthroFIT.
“Some will wear them because they believe they may help prevent injury or increase blood flow,” he says. “Others likely wear them because they see some elite athletes wearing them so they assume they are just supposed to. Others simply wear them for fashion.”
For some athletes, arm sleeves can also be a “superstitious thing,” Hansen says. “[Gabby] had a good race result when she wore one or two in the past,” he continued, noting that a sleeve may give Gabby comfort.
“Perhaps it helps to remind her to keep pumping her arms, as the arms help drive the action of the legs,” Hansen says.
Sklar says it’s “tough to say” whether wearing sleeves helps athletes win—ultimately, it's up to the individual runner.
“Plenty of athletes wear them and don't win,” he points out. “But as long as they are comfortable and not overly restrictive, there really isn't any reason to not wear them. If one believes that they will help them perform better, at the very least there is a chance for a placebo benefit, and potentially a physiological advantage as well.”
Either way, it seems to work for Gabby. If you want to rock an arm sleeve, many athletes (Gabby included) sport one from Nike:
You can watch the Olympics on NBC or Peaco*ck. Good luck, Gabby!
Korin Miller
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
