Allyson Felix qualifies for her fifth Olympic Games, first time as a mom

Felix officially secured her spot at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday by finishing second in the final of the 400-meter dash at the Olympic trials, with a time of 50.02 seconds. This will be her fifth trip to the Summer Games, and her first as a mother.

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“Man, it has been a fight to get here,” Felix said on NBC after the race. “And one thing I know how to do is fight.”

Felix, 35, has won multiple gold medals in each of the past two iterations of the Games and a total of six golds overall. Her performance on Sunday ensured that she will compete individually in Tokyo at 400 meters, though she will likely also be part of at least one relay team – whether it’s the women’s 4x400m or the mixed-gender 4x400m, which is a new event in 2021. She is scheduled to run the 200-meter dash at trials next week, as well.

In November 2018, Felix gave birth to her daughter, Camryn, by way of emergency C-section after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication. Felix got back on the track in 2019 and won two relay gold medals at the world championships in Doha. But the Olympics have long been her primary goal.

“I feel like everybody’s been on this journey with me. They’ve seen me overcome some pretty big battles,” Felix said Saturday. “There were moments I didn’t think that I’d be able to make it to this point, and I think that makes me all the more grateful to be here.”

Allyson has repeatedly spoken about wanting to get back on the podium to set an example for Camryn.

“I’ve always had a drive and a desire to win,” she recently told USA TODAY Sports, “but I think now, being a mom, it’s really about teaching her how to overcome adversity and showing her what hard work looks like.”

Felix has said she intends to retire before the Summer Games, 2024 in Paris, so Tokyo will be her final Olympic.