2 min read- Olympian Allyson Felix was named to Time’s Most Influential People of 2020.
- In addition to her success on the track, the 34-year-old has been instrumental in changing maternity and pregnancy policies for athletes, which often paid athletes less after being pregnant.
- Her name sits alongside the likes of the NBA’S Giannis Antetokounmpo, actor Michael B. Jordan, and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci.
Olympic sprinter Allyson Felix has been named to Time’s Most Influential People of 2020 list. She is one of several athletes—including the NBA’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA’s Dwyane Wade, the NFL’s Patrick Mahomes, and U.S. Open champion Naomi Osaka—who made the list.
At 34 years old, Felix has one of the most decorated careers in track and field history, both on the Olympic stage (nine medals, six gold) and at World Championships (18 medals, 13 gold). However, it’s her incredible work off the track that brought her among the powerful voices that join her on the list.
In 2019, Felix wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times that called out Nike, her former sponsor, for not providing guaranteed protections for pregnant athletes and new moms. (Felix gave birth to her daughter Camryn in 2018.) The public reaction to the piece put pregnancy discrimination in athletics in the spotlight, and the practice was heavily criticized. More female athletes came to Felix’s side, offering up their stories.
As a result, many companies, including Nike, altered their policies regarding athlete pregnancies and maternity leave.
Her work hasn’t stopped there. Felix continues to use her voice for not just athletes, but for maternity rights for all woman. She has also been a major voice amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, including joining a march in June following the murder of George Floyd.
Felix is training to earn a spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Games, which would be her fourth Olympic team.
Allyson Felix’s Athleta Collection
Drew covers a variety of subjects for Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
