Allyson Felix wins bronze in final competitive race at track and field world championships
It wasn't quite a golden farewell for Allyson Felix.
But it was still a moment she'll never forget — and one she dreamed of for nearly two decades.
Felix won her 30th major international medal at the 2022 track and field world championships Friday night, running the second leg in the mixed-gender 4x400 relay as the Americans claimed bronze.
“To be able to come here in front of a home crowd, it’s something I’ve always wanted,” said Felix, who burst on to the track scene as a teenager in Los Angeles and has blossomed into one of the brightest stars in the sport.
“To be able to have that, obviously not in the prime of my career, to finish here tonight, to have (daughter) Cammy in the stands, to share that moment meant a lot.”
The 36-year-old will leave the sport next month with 19 world championship medals, in addition to the seven golds, three silvers and one bronze that she won in five Olympic appearances.
The U.S. team of Felix, Elija Godwin, Vernon Norwood and Kennedy Simon led for large swaths of Friday night's final at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, but Simon was passed in the final meters by women from the Dominican Republic and the Netherlands, who took gold and silver, respectively.
In the weeks leading up to her competitive farewell, Felix joked that Cammy, who’s 3, “doesn’t get it” — the accomplishments of mom are too much for a toddler to comprehend.
Maybe Cammy will grow up and fall in love with track herself. Maybe she won’t. Regardless, Felix believes there are still lessons her little girl can take into all of life’s arenas.
“I think it’s about being a fighter,” Felix said. “It doesn’t matter what you do, that’s a spirit that I hope she carries over, a confidence that I hope she has and that’s what I want to teach her — that you always stand up for what you believe in, for what’s right.”
Then, with a laugh: "And I’ll be very happy if she doesn’t get into track. I’m going to encourage her to do many other things."
Felix announced her retirement earlier this year. She did not qualify for an individual spot on the world championship team but was selected to compete in the mixed-gender relay.