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Allyson Felix in 2021: An extraordinary career ends after the World Championships in Athletics in Eugene
Photo:
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The seven-time track and field Olympic champion Allyson Felix has announced the end of her career.
"I gave everything I had for running, and for the first time in my life I'm not sure I have more to give," said the 36-year-old US sprinter on Instagram on Wednesday.
»I want to say goodbye and thank the sport and the people who have shaped me in the only way I know how - with one last run.«
This summer the world championships will take place from July 15th to 24th in Eugene/USA.
Multiple world champion Felix is one of the most successful track and field athletes in history.
Last year in Tokyo, Felix won Olympic gold in the US 4x400m relay and bronze in the 400m.
Since 2004, Felix has won eleven Olympic medals (seven gold), only Finnish running legend Paavo Nurmi (twelve) has been more successful in athletics history.
At world championships, she is the most successful participant ever: With 13 gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals, she is even ahead of Usain Bolt.
After the birth of her daughter in 2018, Felix became one of the mouthpieces for mothers in competitive sports.
In an article for the New York Times, she criticized the lack of security during pregnancy, her sponsor Nike wanted to cut her salary by 70 percent after the birth, she wrote at the time.
Because she no longer had a shoe sponsor, Felix competed in the Tokyo Olympics with shoes from her own collection.
"This season I'm running for women," Felix wrote.
»I run for a better future for my daughter.
I run for you.«
hba/dpa/sid/Reuters