Allyson Felix

Nickname

'Chicken Legs', because of her long, spindly legs. (USATF, 27 June 2005)

Hobbies

She likes watching TV shows 24, Grey's Anatomy and reality programmes. (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Education

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Language(s) spoken

English

Coach

Bobby Kersee from 2005 (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Sporting relatives

She played on the varsity basketball team in high school. (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Other sports

Her brother, Wes, was also a sprinter. He won bronze in the 200m and gold in the 4x100m at the 2002 World Junior Championships. (IAAF Handbook, 2003; ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Additional information

Start of sporting career
She started running as a freshman in high school. (USOC Media Guide 2004)

Most memorable sporting achievement
Winning the 200m at the 2007 World Championships against Olympic champion Veronica Campbell-Brown from Jamaica. (Conway Hill Sunday, 16 Dec 2007)

Superstitions / Rituals
She is a devout Christian, though she does not display this with gestures or words after races. Before she travels to athletics meets she downloads sermons to take with her so she can start her day by listening to them. (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Awards
Received the 2007 Jesse Owens Award from USA Track and Field. (AFP, 19 Nov 2007)

In 2003 she was named Gatorade's Female High School Athlete of the Year. LeBron James was the male recipient in the same year. (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

At the 2004 Olympic Games she officially broke the world junior record with a 22.17s run. (USATF 27 Jun 2005)

She was the 2001 World Youth 100m champion. (USATF Media Guide 2003)

General
QUESTIONABLE QUALIFICATION
On June 23, 2012, at the Olympic trials, both she and fellow US sprinter Jeneba Tarmoh crossed the finish line of the 100m race in 11.068 seconds. At first Tarmoh was judged to have beaten Felix for bronze, therefore earning a place in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. However, judges later said the two had finished in a dead heat. After deciding against a coin flip the two were set to race each other to determine who would hold on to the final Olympic qualifying spot. But Tarmoh pulled out of the race, saying she should not have to run again after already initially being given a place by the judges. Felix was awarded the spot. (washingtonpost.com, 03 Jul 2012)

LEARNING FROM BEIJING MISTAKES
Despite being the two-time defending world champion in the 200m, she came second in the discipline at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the biggest disappointment of her career. Her coach Bobby Kersee said part of the reason was that she had too many commitments in the lead up to the Games. "We got on a plane a couple of times too many, and when we got [to China], we didn't have that final snap at the end. I thought she ran a very decent race, but those who know why can beat those who know how, and I know why we got beat and we're not making those mistakes again." (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

EXTRA ANTI-DOPING TESTS
Prior to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, she voluntarily submitted herself for extra anti-doping testing as part of a program called Project Believe. "It was cool, because it was saying you were going to go a step beyond what was required of you," she said. "I just loved that message of all that, especially being in track and field where we've had so many problems." (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

ROLE MODEL
She tries her best to be a good role model. "It's always a struggle, and I've never arrived," she said. "Making sure the things I do on a regular daily basis are in line with my beliefs - that's the biggest thing, knowing that people are watching. It's one thing being a role model, but being a role model and professing a faith is a whole different thing. It's good accountability, remembering that." (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

TURNING PRO
She gave up her college eligibility in 2003 when she turned professional. (USOC Media Guide, 2004)

EARLY DAYS
As a basketball player on her high school varsity team, her father and brother suggested she try out for the athletics team. In the trials she wore her high-top basketball shoes. (ESPN, 28 Jul 2011)

Previous Olympics

Beijing 2008, Athens 2004