Allyson Felix, a well-known U.S. sprinter, announced in April that this year would be her final year as a runner. Even after declaring her retirement as a 36-year-old, Felix will forever remain as a loved legend who has changed this world not only in sports, but also in humanity.
Felix made her first major debut in 2003 as a 17-year-old, placing second in the 200-meter at the U.S. World Championship Trials. For the next 20 years, she received 19 world medals, 13 of which are gold, and 11 Olympic Medals, 7 of which are gold. She has won more Olympic medals and World Championship medals for track-and-field than anyone else in history. Felix is very glad that she participated in this sport. According to BBC.com, as a parting note to the sport, Felix said, “I know it is time and these guys will carry it onto the future. I am at peace stepping into this next stage and have a tremendous gratitude for this sport.”
But it’s not only her extraordinary running talents that make her so inspiring, it’s also the significant change that she has brought to the world as an African-American activist.
Felix has spoken at the US Congress in 2019 about raising awareness of maternal mortality, since a condition called pre-eclampsia occurs at a very high rate for African-American women.
According to The New York Times, “African-American women are four times as likely to die in childbirth and twice as more likely to have complications.” Felix also had pre-eclampsia when she gave birth to her daughter Camryn. It had put both her and her baby’s lives in great danger. Luckily, she survived, and shared her story to the House Ways and Means committee at a hearing. She wants to help other pregnant women who are experiencing what she has been through. In an article that she wrote in The New York Times, she said, “I want to be able to sign a contract that says there is maternity rights.”
After all of those amazing things Felix has done to help the world, she even made her own shoe brand. “I’m trying to leave the sport better than I found it, trying to support female athletes and women in general and fight for more equality,” she said, according to BBC.com.
Even after Felix retires as an athlete, she will still continue to do the best that she can to make the world a better place. This determination to do the best that she can offer is what makes her such a successful person.
Felix made her first major debut in 2003 as a 17-year-old, placing second in the 200-meter at the U.S. World Championship Trials. For the next 20 years, she received 19 world medals, 13 of which are gold, and 11 Olympic Medals, 7 of which are gold. She has won more Olympic medals and World Championship medals for track-and-field than anyone else in history. Felix is very glad that she participated in this sport. According to BBC.com, as a parting note to the sport, Felix said, “I know it is time and these guys will carry it onto the future. I am at peace stepping into this next stage and have a tremendous gratitude for this sport.”
But it’s not only her extraordinary running talents that make her so inspiring, it’s also the significant change that she has brought to the world as an African-American activist.
Felix has spoken at the US Congress in 2019 about raising awareness of maternal mortality, since a condition called pre-eclampsia occurs at a very high rate for African-American women.
According to The New York Times, “African-American women are four times as likely to die in childbirth and twice as more likely to have complications.” Felix also had pre-eclampsia when she gave birth to her daughter Camryn. It had put both her and her baby’s lives in great danger. Luckily, she survived, and shared her story to the House Ways and Means committee at a hearing. She wants to help other pregnant women who are experiencing what she has been through. In an article that she wrote in The New York Times, she said, “I want to be able to sign a contract that says there is maternity rights.”
After all of those amazing things Felix has done to help the world, she even made her own shoe brand. “I’m trying to leave the sport better than I found it, trying to support female athletes and women in general and fight for more equality,” she said, according to BBC.com.
Even after Felix retires as an athlete, she will still continue to do the best that she can to make the world a better place. This determination to do the best that she can offer is what makes her such a successful person.
