Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age (2024)

Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age (1)
Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age (2)

TeamUnited States of America

Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age (3)

Athletics

Olympic Medals

7G

3S

1B

Games Participations5

First Olympic GamesAthens 2004

Year of Birth1985

Social Media

Biography

Allyson Felix is the most decorated track and field athlete in history. With a record 20 World Championship medals and 11 medals at the Olympic Games - including seven golds - she ranks among the sport's greats.

In 2022, the Los Angeles native said goodbye to the sport aged 36 at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. After helping USA to mixed 4x400m bronze, Felix ran in the heats of the women's 4x400m relay and collected her 14th gold medal at Worlds. That tally is three more than Usain Bolt who won 14 Worlds medals in total.

Allyson Felix: Seventeen years at the top

Specialising initially in the 200m, Felix was just 19 when she won her first world title in Helsinki in 2005. She retained her 200m title in Osaka two years later, but had to settle for silver on her Olympic debut at Beijing 2008 behind Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown. The youngster did win gold in the women's 4x400m, running the second leg in a comfortable American success.

After completing a hat-trick of 200m world titles in Berlin in 2009, Felix started to split her time between the 200m and 400m. She just missed out on 400m gold at the Daegu 2011 World Championships with Amantle Montsho prevailing by three-hundredths of a second.

At London 2012, Felix won what would prove to be her only individual Olympic title as she beat Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in the 200m. That was her first of three triumphs in the British capital as she also helped the USA to women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay golds, the former in a new world record.

The Moscow 2013 World Championships resulted in a rare blank for Felix as she pulled a hamstring during the 200m final. The American star returned to action in May 2014 and won the Diamond League 200m title to earn her a bye in that event for the next Worlds.

The schedule for the 2015 Beijing Worlds made it impossible for Felix to double up. Having won the 400m trials at the USA Track and Field Championships, she chose the one-lap event and was rewarded with gold in the Chinese capital.

An ankle injury hampered Felix at the start of the Olympic year. After winning the 400m in a world lead time at the U.S. Olympic Trials, she was only fourth in the 200m meaning she would not defend her title in Rio.

At Rio 2016, Felix was just denied a second individual gold by Shaunae Miller's dive across the line. She won two golds in the relays again, although the USA were initially disqualified from the women's 4x100m relay when Felix dropped the baton. They were reinstated when replays showed Felix had been impeded by a Brazilian's arm and qualifed for the final by running a solo time trial.

At the 2017 World Championships in London, Felix won 400m bronze and another women's relay gold double before taking time out to have a baby. After suffering preeclampsia, she had an emergency C-section to give birth to daughter Camryn in November 2018. The experience prompted Felix to become an advocate for improved maternity care for black women, and call out her sponsors Nike for not guaranteeing salaries to athletes returning from pregnancy.

After returning to action, Felix managed to qualify for the 2019 World Championships but only as part of the 4x400m relay pool. In the first mixed 4x400m world final in Doha, she ran the second leg as USA won in a new world record to secure her a record 12th gold medal at Worlds. After running the heats in the women's 4x400m relay, Felix collected a record 13th gold.

During the pandemic, she focused on qualifying for her fifth Olympic Games at Tokyo 2020 at the age of 35. This time, she was able to qualify in the individual 400m and went on to take bronze behind defending champion Miller-Uibo.

And in a glorious Olympic swansong, Felix ran the second leg as the USA women's 4x400m relay team retained their title with teenage 800m gold medallist Athing Mu running the anchor leg. That took her tally of Olympic medals to 11, one clear of Carl Lewis' previous American track and field record.

"Everyone sees the glory moments, but they don't see what happens behind the scenes.”

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Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age (2024)

FAQs

Allyson Felix Biography, Olympic Medals, Records and Age? ›

Allyson Felix (born November 18, 1985, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an American sprinter who is the most decorated female Olympian in track and field. Her 11 Olympic medals—7 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze—are also the most won by an American track and field athlete.

What records does Alison Felix have? ›

Allyson Felix is the most decorated track and field athlete in history. With a record 20 World Championship medals and 11 medals at the Olympic Games - including seven golds - she ranks among the sport's greats.

Why was Allyson Felix dropped by Nike? ›

It is a company born of necessity: Allyson needed shoes for the Olympics after ditching Nike when the company sought to reduce her compensation during her pregnancy. It was a decision she detailed in a now-famous New York Times Op-Ed, part of a public pivot that was catalytic to her journey into off-track activism.

What condition did Allyson Felix have? ›

Allyson is an elite track and field athlete and Olympian who was diagnosed at 32-weeks pregnant with severe preeclampsia—a potentially life-threatening pregnancy-related complication.

How many medals does Felix have in taekwondo? ›

Felix Yongbok Lee was born on 15 September 2000 in Seven Hills, Sydney, Australia to Korean immigrant parents. He is the middle child between his younger sister and older sister. Before moving to Seoul, South Korea to become a singer, Lee practiced taekwondo for twelve years as a child and has won a total of 63 medals.

Is Allyson Felix the most decorated? ›

Allyson Felix (born November 18, 1985, Los Angeles, California, U.S.) is an American sprinter who is the most decorated female Olympian in track and field. Her 11 Olympic medals—7 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze—are also the most won by an American track and field athlete.

Did Simone Biles leave Nike? ›

Biles famously left Nike, her longtime sponsor, in 2021 in favor of women's clothing brand Athleta. She said Athleta, a subsidiary of Gap, stands "for everything that I stand for" in the wake of several scandals surrounding how Nike treats its female employees and sponsored athletes, the New York Times reported.

Did Nike have a child? ›

Nike had no consort or children. She did have three brothers - Zelos (rivalry), Kratos (strength) and Bia (force). She and her siblings were close companions of Zeus. According to myth, Nike's mother Styx brought her children to Zeus when the god was assembling allies for the battle against the Titans.

Who owns Nike? ›

It doesn't have a single owner, although co-founder Phil Knight is by far the largest shareholder, holding about a third of the stock. Millions of people around the world own Nike stock both directly and indirectly through exchange-traded funds, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles.

Is Allyson Felix still with her husband? ›

In 2018, the couple got married and welcomed their daughter. Their second baby, a boy, arrived in April 2024. Felix and Ferguson's priorities and schedules have shifted with the expansion of their family and Felix's retirement. As parents, the pair have said they balance out each other's strengths.

What challenges did Allyson Felix face? ›

She faced a nine-month hiatus in 2014 due to a hamstring injury, sustained significant ligament tears after falling from a pull-up bar in 2016, and was forced to undergo an emergency C-section in 2018 when she was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia during pregnancy with her daughter Camryn.

What happened to Allyson Felix pregnancy? ›

After a challenging childbirth experience with daughter Camryn -- who is now 5 years old -- where Felix had severe preeclampsia and needed an emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks, she expressed her gratitude for a healthy delivery this time.

Who was the first female Olympic gold track and field athlete? ›

1928- Gymnastics and track and field were opened to women at the Summer Olympic Games, with stipulations that women's shorts are no more that four inches above their knees. In the 100 meter race, American Betty Robinson was the first woman to win a gold medal in track and field.

What is Usain Bolt's world record? ›

Team USA sprinter Christian Coleman believes Usain Bolt is not far off being bested in the 100m sprint. The Jamaican holds the current world record for the race, standing at 9.58 seconds, but his 15-year tenure as the fastest man in the world may be in danger of coming to an end.

Does Kosovo have a world record? ›

A Kosovo flag made out of origami paper has won a Guinness World Record. Arbnora Fejza Idrizi created the flag of Kosovo, spread over 1,200 square meters, and said she wanted it to be in honor of the 13th anniversary of her country's independence.

Who is the female Olympic gold medalist gymnastics? ›

List of Olympic medal leaders in women's gymnastics
RankGymnastGold
1Larisa Latynina9
2Věra Čáslavská7
3Ágnes Keleti5
4Polina Astakhova5
26 more rows

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