Cross “The Olympics” off Jennifer Thomas’ bucket list.

During last week’s gymnastics competition, international gymnasts used some of her music at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics during various floor routines.

“This is better than any award I could win,” she said in a phone interview. “My music is on a worldwide platform. I’m totally excited and thrilled.”

Thomas, a Sequim composer/musician with multiple albums and accolades, posted online Wednesday, July 28: “Guys. I am literally watching one of my dreams come true right now. My music in the Olympics. Is this even real life? Right in front of my eyes.”

That was for Vladislava Urazova of the Russian Olympic Committee using Thomas’ “Winter Symphony” to the team floor routine.

Urazova’s routine went on to help Russia win the gold medal, too.

Thomas said her co-producer Glen Gabriel first alerted her to the song in the routine on television.

“I really had no idea it was going to happen,” she said.

Team officials contacted her about a month ago asking for permission, but she said they were unsure if it’d be for the adult or youth Olympics.

“Of course I said ‘yes’,” Thomas said.

“I wasn’t even looking for it. I figured it’d be used in the youth Olympics and I wouldn’t be able to watch it.”

Thomas said her family has had the Olympics on a few times throughout the day along with watching social media updates and replays.

On July 29, Thomas learned of Yunseo Lee of South Korea competing in the All-Around Artistic Gymnastics floor routine using her arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” also from the “Winter Symphony” album.

“I can’t even focus the past few days,” she wrote online. “Truly honored, and beyond thrilled for my entire creative team.”

Thomas found the coincidence funny in that her Christmas/winter songs are being used in the summer games.

Summer to Winter

This summer, Thomas has reached an Olympic dream and she may do so again at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

Last March, three professional figure skaters used Thomas’ songs at the 2021 World Figure Skating Championships in Stockholm, Sweden. Rika Kihira of Japan and Cha Jun-hwan of South Korea skated to Thomas and Kimberly “The Rogue Pianist” StarKey’s “The Fire Within,” and Alexandra Feigin of Bulgaria skated to Thomas and Viktoria Tocca’s “Moonlight.”

Kihira placed second in the short program and helped Japan qualify three women for the country to the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Cha placed 10th overall in the men’s competition qualifying South Korea one berth at the Olympics, while Feigin placed 17th overall qualifying one spot for Bulgaria.

With the Winter Olympics slated for February, Thomas said she’s “keeping a close eye on it.”

“Everything I’ve heard right now, Rika is keeping her routine, but it could change.”

She said in a previous interview that growing up, she wanted to be an ice skater in the Olympics.

Now with the chance for her music to be heard in two major sporting events for a global audience, Thomas said, “it’s a huge thing for my music career.”

“It’s a huge highlight,” she said. “I’m super excited.”

Another hope is that U.S. Olympians use her music in some capacity too. However, she thinks the Olympics is a “supportive worldwide event,” so it’s great any athlete is using her songs.

Next up

Thomas’ next album, featuring an ocean theme, continues to be worked on, she said, with hopes to finish it by the end of the year.

There were plans to record in London in the coming month, she said, but feels it could take longer as studio space and scheduling is limited due to the pandemic. She’d also need to quarantine for 10 days before being able to record there, too.

To hear Jennifer Thomas, find her on most major music platforms, visit jenniferthomasmusic.com and youtube.com/jenniferthomas.

Vidoes of the Olympics can be found through NBC’s various apps and television channels. For schedules and results, visit olympics.com.

Vladislava Urazova, of the Russian Olympic Committee, performs on the balance beam during the artistic gymnastics women’s all-around final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 29, in Tokyo. She used a song by Sequim’s Jennifer Thomas for the team Artistic Gymnastics floor routine earlier in the week. Photo by Ashley Landis/Associated Press