ALLYSON FELIX RAN HER FINAL RACE
Allyson Felix ran her final competitive race on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon, at the World Athletics Championships. She retired at 36 years of age as the most decorated sprinter in U.S. history.
She ran the second leg and won bronze in the 4x400m mixed relay. Felix took the baton from Elija Godwin and had a significant lead down the backstretch as she broke for the inside. The crowd at Hayward roared in her support. In the final turn, Marileidy Paulina of the Dominican Republic cut into Felix’s lead, and the two were even handing off to the third leg. Felix split 50.15 to Paulina’s 48.47.
She celebrated her victory with her three years old daughter, Camryn. Allyson hung the medal around her daughter’s neck and said, “To be able to finish here tonight, with Cami in the stands, and to share that moment with her, it means a lot.”
As the race ended, Felix talked to the reporters, where she said in a conversation, “I never really hear too much when I’m running, but tonight I did.” She added, “There was a moment where I went for the break [to the inside, after a three-turn stagger], and I heard it, and it was really special. It was something I’ll cherish for sure.”
Felix is the winner of 19 medals at the world championships (including the bronze for her final race) and 11 at the Olympics. This makes a total of 30 medals won by Felix at the world’s biggest sports events.
It has always been Felix’s dream to compete in a major global event in front of American fans, and she believes the memories from Friday night will stand the test of time. Her final words about the event were, “I felt joy running tonight. I feel fulfilled.”
Her future plans include turning her attention to other causes such as advocacy for the maternal health of Black women and her shoe company, Saysh.
