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Allyson Felix is no stranger to taking the lead, as she holds the record for the most Olympic medals ever won by an American athlete in the track and field category. On June 25, Felix finished in first place once again, though she was not competing on the track this time.
In a ceremony held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the 37-year-old made history as she became the first-ever female recipient of the West Coast Sports Associates' (WSA) Roy Firestone Award. WSA is a non-profit organization that works to provide underprivileged kids with access to sports.
In 1996, the award was given to and then named after a well-known sports commentator and journalist in America, Roy Firestone. The award was given in recognition of his community work and dedication to ensuring that underprivileged children had the opportunity to participate in sports. He was the inaugural recipient of the award.
"From the bottom of my heart, the person we’re honoring tonight is one hell of a human being," Firestone on Felix.
In the past year, Felix achieved an enormous amount of success, and this prize is yet another incredible milestone for her. After being awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 2022, Allyson Felix was selected to deliver the commencement address at the University of Southern California in the same year.
Speaking to Firestone at the recent event, she said:
"When I reflect back on my career and just the things I’ve been able to do, I feel extremely blessed. Not in my wildest dreams would I have dreamt that life would take me in these places."
The discussion between Firestone and Felix covered a wide range of subjects, including her on and off-track achievements. She described the difficulties of concealing her pregnancy in 2018 and how she would often exercise at 4 a.m. so no one would notice her body.
Felix was concerned that if Nike, which had been her sponsor for almost a decade, found out she was expecting a baby, they would stop paying her. Although she went on to become a leading activist in the movement to secure maternal aid for female athletes, she admitted to initially being scared to speak up and establish a precedent in this area.
"There are so many women who came before me who went through the same thing. Becoming a mother and realizing this is so much bigger than me led me to speak out on these issues," she said.
Additionally, she discussed the untimely passing of Tori Bowie, an Olympic track and field athlete who shared a gold medal with Allyson Felix in 2016. On April 23, 2023, Bowie passed away due to problems associated with childbirth.
This is a subject that is extremely important to Felix, owing to her personal experience of nearly losing her daughter Camryn, who was born two months premature. During Camryn's delivery in November 2018, Felix was forced to have an emergency cesarean surgery due to complications. Bowie's death sparked a lot of conversation on the topic.
"Women of color are at risk," Felix said. "To have this happen with Tori is just so devastating, and I think it is another wake-up call of the work we have to do to combat these issues that women are facing. It should not be this dangerous to give birth here in America in 2023."
Allyson Felix's retirement
On April 13, 2022, Allyson Felix, the most decorated track and field athlete in the history of the United States of America, took to social media to announce that she would hang up her spikes after the conclusion of the 2022 season. Felix, who was 36 years old when she made the announcement, had a total of 11 Olympic medals to her name. She has been competing in the Olympic Games ever since they were held in Athens in 2004.
Allyson Felix wrote on her Instagram account:
"I have given everything I have to running, and for the first time, I’m not sure if I have anything left to give," Felix wrote in an Instagram post announcing her retirement. "I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run."
By winning the global championships in 2019, Felix broke her tie with Usain Bolt for the most world titles ever won by a track athlete. She has competed in the global championships a total of 18 times, winning medals every time, including 13 gold medals.
"This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy," Felix wrote. "If you see me on the track this year, I hope to share a moment, a memory, and my appreciation with you."
Allyson Felix was one of the six mothers who competed for the US in the track and field event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
She has utilized her profile to advocate for pregnant athletes' rights and maternity leave policies in the sports industry. Felix's daughter inspired her to train for her sixth Olympics, just over two years after the potentially catastrophic treatment for both her and her child.
