Team USA’s Allyson Felix on Friday became the most decorated female track and field athlete when she claimed a 400m bronze, her 10th Olympic medal, at Tokyo. The 35-year-old passed Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey, who held the record with nine medals. Felix has six golds, three silvers and one bronze against her name. She will have a chance to win the 11th medal on Saturday as the United States look to defend their 4x400m relay title. This would take her past Carl Lewis as the most decorated American track and field athlete.
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Felix finished third in the 400m race behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, the gold medal winner and Marileidy Paulino of the Dominican Republic.
Who is Allyson Felix?
Playing her fifth Olympics, Allyson Felix made her debut at the multi-sport international event at Athens in 2004. She has won a medal every Summer since then. However, her Olympic journey has been full of heartbreaks and tough patches.
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An 18-year-old Felix couldn’t help breaking down after she finished second in the 200m event at Athens. She finished with a silver at Beijing (2008) too. However, her wait for the elusive gold medal came to an end when she aced the 200m in London. In Rio, she again finished second.
“It’s really hard for me, when I don’t win, to still have joy. Tonight I have joy,” Felix said after winning bronze in Tokyo, as per Times reports.
“This one is very different, and it’s very special. And it just took a lot to get here,” she said after the race.
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Felix recently explained what motivates her in an Instagram post. She shared a video of her two-year-old daughter, Camryn, watching clips of her on television.
“One step at a time. One round at a time. Know your why. My why is clear and unchanging. Swipe to see her watching mommy,” Felix wrote in the caption.
Carl Lewis, whose record Felix might break on Saturday, took to Twitter to say, “35 never looked so good. What an amazing career and inspiration.”
“I think people thought I was a long shot for me to even be on the US team. And then, you know, I wasn’t a pick for the medals. But, you know, just give me a shot,” Felix said post-race.
