TCC Alumnus Dr. Chris Thomas Selected for 2024 Paris Olympics Medical Team

Dr. Chris Thomas, a 2019 graduate of Texas Chiropractic College (TCC), served on an elite medical team at the 2024 Paris Olympics as a massage therapist and dry-needling specialist. His appointment not only showcases his individual accomplishments but also highlights TCC’s dedication to cultivating top-tier healthcare professionals ready to meet the demands of high-performance sports.

 

Thomas, who ran professionally for about 10 years, became interested in the chiropractic field after speaking with Dr. Seun Adigun, a two-time Olympian and the founder of the first African bobsled team in the 2018 Olympics, who also graduated from TCC.

 

After graduation, Thomas’ journey led him to open his own practice and gain diverse experience as a massage therapist across multiple countries, including the World Championships in Budapest. At the Paris Games, he combined his skills in chiropractic care, massage therapy and dry needling—an advanced technique that became highly sought after by the athletes—for the first time.

 

“In Paris, we had 140 athletes, and just the track and field medical team, only three of us could dry needle, and it was highly sought after by the athletes,” said Thomas.

 

According to Thomas, the pressure of being in such an important role for an athletes’ performance at the Olympics is alleviated by letting them be in charge of the medical care they receive.

 

“They will let you know,” said Thomas. “As long as you keep the ball in their court…you don’t have to guess. And they will tell you, they’re very verbal.”

 

Thomas credits TCC, specifically the standardized patients— actors who perform as if they are a patient receiving chiropractic care during the Doctor of Chiropractic program—for  preparing him to handle a wide range of patient emotions.

 

“Especially during the trials…one person makes the team, the second is bawling in your arms ’cause they did not make the team and they missed it by one little meter or one inch,” said Thomas.

 

 

The presence of a TCC graduate on the Olympic medical team exemplifies the institution’s commitment to excellence in education and practical training for its students. As Thomas continues his mission of providing optimal care for international athletes, he encourages aspiring sports care specialists that hard work and perseverance open doors to extraordinary opportunities.