Olympian Allyson Felix Pens Inspiring Letter To Her 2-Year-Old Daughter
Tokyo is Allyson Felix’s fifth Olympic Games, but her first as a mother. The road to the Games has been one riddled with obstacles, but the sprinter has overcome them all in inspiring fashion and now has a shot at becoming the most decorated female track and field Olympian.
The 35-year-old, who finished second in her qualifying heat, will advance to the 400-meter final. In the semifinals, she posted a blazing time of 49.89 seconds – her first time going sub-50 since giving birth to her daughter Camryn in November 2018.
The six-time gold medalist will compete for the final time this Friday. If she makes it to the podium, she will be the most decorated female track and field Olympian. She’s currently tied with Jamaican Merlene Ottey-Page, who also garnered nine medals during her career. (Felix also has three silver medals.)
Allyson Felix’s Letter to Her Daughter
Despite her long list of accomplishments and success in Tokyo thus far, Allyson has made it clear that her greatest achievement is her motherhood. In a beautiful video, she reads aloud a powerful letter that she wrote to her 2-year-old daughter.
“Dear Cammy, my sweet baby girl. I had you after four Olympic Games, six gold medals, three silver – yet my greatest accomplishment is you,” she begins. She goes on to tell her daughter about all of the negativity she faced following her harrowing birth. People told her that she would retire, that she was too old to compete, and that she would never be able to get back in shape.
“But, Cammy, here I am to prove them wrong,” she states. Camryn, she says, made her stronger than she ever imagined. My favorite line from the whole letter sums it all up: “I’ve had a lot of titles, but, by far, mama is my favorite.”
In a recent Instagram post that includes an adorable video of Cammy watching her mom on TV, Felix echoes these sweet sentiments, writing, “It’s really just one step at a time. Whether that’s a race or in real life. You just have to know your why…My why is clear and unchanging. Swipe to see her watching mommy.”
Closing Thoughts
Five Olympic appearances is impressive in itself. The fact that Allyson Felix’s fifth comes after a life-threatening C-section and an incredible postpartum comeback is awe-inspiring. We applaud her athleticism and give her a standing ovation for her motherhood. Watch Allyson compete in the 400 meter final on Friday at 8:35 a.m. ET.
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