Allyson Felix is set to be 42 years old when the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics commence.
Allyson Felix, the most decorated female track and field Olympian with a remarkable 11 medals, has announced her intentions to stage a comeback at the age of 40.
The celebrated United States sprinter is aiming to compete in her sixth Olympic Games in 2028, held in her home city of Los Angeles.
Felix’s last appearance was at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, and she welcomed her second child, a son, in 2024.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime homecoming,” Felix stated regarding her return. “And it is the only thing powerful enough to pull me back.”
As the most decorated American Olympian in track and field, Felix secured her sole individual gold medal in the 200m event at the 2012 London Olympics. She also consistently triumphed in the 4x400m relay at every Games from 2008 through the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games.
Additionally, she claimed 4x100m relay titles in 2012 and 2016, alongside 200m silver medals in 2004 and 2008, and 400m silver and bronze medals in Rio and Tokyo, respectively.
The Los Angeles native also boasts a record 20 medals at the World Championships, the highest tally for any athlete, male or female, which includes 14 championship titles.
Felix, who also has a daughter born in 2018, attended the 2024 Paris Olympics as a spectator, describing her experience as filled with “mixed emotions.”
“There were moments where I was like, ‘Oh, this is so great. It’s so exciting to be in the stands and on the other side,'” Felix told Time magazine, external.
“And then there were moments where I was, ‘You know, I miss this feeling’.”
Felix, who serves on the athletes’ commission for the 2028 LA Olympic organizing committee, acknowledges the realities of her comeback.
“I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that,” she added. “I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.”
“When I was competing, you just heard this roar for host-country athletes at the Olympics. I would love to experience that.”
“I would probably be upset at myself if I just didn’t give it a try. However it turns out, I’ll still be there with my kids, hanging out and cheering everybody on.”