Allyson Felix clinched a bronze medal in the 400m on Friday, becoming the most decorated woman in the history of Olympic track. The 35-year-old bagged the 10th medal of her entire career as an athlete in the Olympics. 

Allyson began in the outside lane and took over Jamaica’s Stephanie Ann McPherson to land at the 3rd spot by .15 seconds. Bahamas’ Shaunae Miller-Uibo secured the first spot in the 400-meter race with a time of 48.36, and Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic stood second.

Allyson Felix’s 10th medal broke a tie with Jamaica’s Marlene Ottey and matched Carl Lewis in becoming the most decorated US athlete in track. 

Also Read | Tokyo Olympics was Sjoerd Marijne’s last assignment with India women’s hockey

“It’s hard to describe because I feel like all the other ones, I was really just so focused on the performance. And this one, it’s just so much bigger than that,” Felix said. “That’s all I can kind of explain it as – I was out there running, but I felt like I was a representation for so much more than just trying to get down the track.”

Felix had earlier landed the second spot in the 400-meter race at the U.S. track trials in Eugene, Oregon, qualifying for her fifth Olympics. The US athlete made her debut for the US at 18 at the 2004 Athens games. “I’m just proud of making it to this moment,” she had said then. “There’s so much that’s gone into this. Many times, I wasn’t sure if it was possible. I’m just proud of fighting and making a way somehow.”

Also Read | Indian wrestling team’s foreign assistant coach expelled from Tokyo Olympics

Ahead of the final, she had told NBC, “This is so much bigger than running fast.”

“It’s showing women that we can be present at home and we can also thrive in our professions.”

Allyson Felix will be competing in the 4x400m relay on Saturday. If the 35-year-old athlete manages to win the race, she will over take Carl Lewis as the most decorated American Olympian in track and field.