SPORTS

Allyson Felix Sets a New Record for the Most Female Olympic Medals in Track and Field

Allyson Felix is the most decorated American track and field athlete, with 11 Olympic medals to her credit. The sprinter won two medals in her fifth Olympic Games this year.
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Allyson Felix is the most decorated American track and field athlete, with 11 Olympic medals to her credit. The sprinter won two medals in her fifth Olympic Games this year.

Allyson Felix has become the first American woman to win 11 Olympic medals in track and field after her newest win on Sunday. Team USA won gold in the 4x400m relay with a time of 3 minutes and 16.85 seconds. Thus, the American team had enough time to complete four laps of the track in that amount of time.

As a result of this win, Felix became the most decorated American track and field athlete in Olympic history. Therefore, surpassing Carl Lewis, the sprinter and long jumper who won ten medals between 1984 and 1996.

The United States’ team Allyson Felix, Sydney McLaughlin, Dalilah Muhammad, and Athing Mu surged to victory in the Olympic track and field competition 4x400m. At the same time, Poland took silver with a national record, and Jamaica took bronze.

“I just came out really at peace and wanting to soak it all in,” Felix said after the win.

The sprinter began her career at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. She has competed in every Olympics since then.

“I am extremely proud to be an elite athlete and to have this legacy on the track, but it doesn’t stop there,” she shared with TODAY.

Paavo Nurmi of Finland holds the all-time track and field record with 12 medals. She surpassed Merlene Ottey of Jamaica for the most medals won by a woman in Olympic track and field history. Her tenth medal came in the women’s 400 meters on Friday night, her first Olympic bronze.

However, the athlete has fought her way back to the Olympics after overcoming a life-threatening pregnancy in 2018. After being diagnosed with a severe case of preeclampsia, a hazardous pregnancy illness, she gave birth to her daughter Camryn via emergency cesarean surgery at 32 weeks.

Allyson Felix had a legendary career. She competed in the Athens Games for the first time in 2004, winning silver in the 200 meters. The sprinter had a great end to her Olympic career, as her final Olympic game was in Tokyo.