4. ALLYSON FELIX
Our No.4 spot goes to this 200m specialist who is trying to make a name in the 400m as well. Allyson Felix has won everything there is to win in the 200m including three world titles and an Olympic GOLD medal. As one who is constantly seeking to reinvent her career, Felix decided to go for the 200m/400m double in 2015.
She was active in the DL this year and ran a WL and Diamond League Record (DLR) of 21.98s in the 200m and claimed another win in the event in Lausanne. She ran her first 400m for the year at the Eugene DL where she stunned reigning Olympic champion, Sanya Richards-Ross to win the event with a time of 50.05s.
This prompted her to compete in the 400m at the USA National Trials and once again she claimed victory with an impressive 50.19s, while Richards-Ross and Francena-McCorory surprisingly failed to make the list to Beijing. Felix decided to do the double at the 2015 World Championships. However the calendar did not allow for this, given the 200m semifinals and 400m final were about an hour apart; and so the 30-year old went with the 400m in Beijing.
Felix had first attempted the double at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu where she ended with Silver in the 400m and had to settle for Bronze in her main event due to fatigue. She easily dominated the heats and semis at the Bird’s Nest Stadium, before storming to the world title with a WL and PB of 49.26s, thereby becoming the first woman to win World titles in the 200m / 400m.
It was her ninth World Championships GOLD medal, making it the most Worlds GOLD medals won by an American. She ran the third fastest split ever in the women’s 4x400m, but it wasn’t enough to gift the Americans the ultimate prize, as the Jamaicans surprisingly upstaged them. Felix also has the most Worlds medals overall (13) by an American. She won the Diamond Trophy despite finishing 2nd to Schippers in Brussels.
