American sprinter Allyson Felix made history again Saturday when she won gold in the 4×400-meter relay, breaking the tie with sprinting legend Carl Lewis for the most decorated American track athlete in Olympic history.
Saturday’s win at the Tokyo Games marked the 11th Olympic medal for the 35-year-old: seven of them gold, three silver and one bronze.
Sydney McLaughlin (400-meter hurdles gold medalist) began Saturday’s relay race with a 49 second leg, before Felix passed her off.
Felix was able hold the gap and passed to Dalilah Mohammed, silver medalist in 400-meter hurdles and reigning world champion. Athing Mu, an 800-meter gold medalist, and a 400-meter collegiate record-holder helped complete the relay and help the team win gold in 3:16.85.
With a time of 3;20.53, Poland won silver and Jamaica took bronze.
Felix, who won bronze in the 400-meter final, eclipsed Merlene Ottey from Jamaica to become the Olympic female track champion.
Felix started her Olympic career when she was 18 years old, competing in the 2004 Summer Games at Athens. At the Beijing Games, she won her first medal. She has participated in five Olympic Games.
The gold medal on Saturday was a sweet victory for the track legend after surviving a life-threatening pregnancy and childbirth just over two years ago.
Camryn, Felix’s baby girl, weighed in at 3 pounds and 7 ounces upon her birth in November 2018. She spent the first few weeks in neonatal intensive car unit. Felix, a Los Angeles native, underwent an emergency cesarean section at just 32 weeks of pregnancy.
In June, she finished second in the 400-meter race at the U.S. track trials in Eugene, Oregon, qualifying for her to compete in Tokyo.
She said that she was proud to have reached this point. It’s amazing how much effort has gone into it. It was difficult to believe that it was possible. I am proud to fight and make a way.
