Allyson Felix

Despite her busy schedule she maintains close relations with her family, especially her brother Wes.

Allyson Felix is in a longtime relationship with fellow sprinter Kenneth Ferguson.

Allyson Michelle Felix was born on November 18, 1985, in California. Her father, Paul, is an ordained minister and professor of New Testament at The Master's Seminary in Santa Clarita Valley, California, and her mother, Marlean, is an elementary school teacher at Balboa Magnet Elementary. Allyson has one older brother, Wes Felix, who is also a sprinter and now acts as her manager. She is a devout Christian.

She attended Los Angeles Baptist High School in North Hills where she realized her athletic abilities. With the guidance of her coach Samson Young, she deadlifted at least 270 pounds while still a school student. She also displayed exceptional ability in track and field. In 2003, she was named the national girls' "High School Athlete of the Year" by ‘Track and Field News.’

She graduated in 2003 and chose to forego college eligibility. Instead, she signed a professional contract with Adidas who also paid her college tuition at the University of Southern California. Eventually she graduated with a degree in elementary education.

Allyson Felix made her Olympic debut at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She performed well to clinch the silver medal in the 200 m behind Veronica Campbell of Jamaica. Aged just 18, she set a World Junior record in 200 m with atime of 22.18.

In 2005, she competed at the World Championships in Helsinki where she became the youngest-ever gold medalist in the 200 m. Two years later, she successfully defended her title at Osaka by beating Veronica Campbell.

She qualified for the 200 m at the trials for the 2008 Olympic Games but just missed qualifying for the 100 m. At the Games, she clinched the silver medal in the 200 m, finishing just behind Campbell who won the gold. Felix was also part of the U.S. women's team which ran the 4 x 400 m relay and finished first, earning Felix an Olympic gold medal.

At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics, she once again won the gold medal at the 200 m, becoming the first woman to claim her third 200 m World Championships gold medal.

From 2010 she began focusing on both 200 m and 400 m and ran these two events along with the 4×100 and 4×400 m relays at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics. She won two teams golds in the relay events though she failed to win an individual gold at the Championships.

Allyson Felix is a four-time recipient of the Jesse Owens Award from USATF (2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012). She is only the second woman—after Marion Jones—to win the award three times.

She also won the Women's Track & Field ESPY Award in 2006.

She won the IAAF female athlete of the year in 2012.