Sprinter Allyson Felix has achieved an incredible feat: she broke the world record for the most gold medals at the world championships, just 10 months after giving birth to her daughter via an emergency C-section that nearly killed her.
The 33-year-old athlete won her 12th gold medal at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, surpassing the legendary Usain Bolt, who retired with 11 golds. She celebrated her victory on Instagram, dedicating it to “all my baby mamas” and expressing her humility at holding the new world record.
But her journey to the top was not easy. She had to overcome a lot of challenges, both on and off the track. On the other hand, she had a bitter dispute with Nike, her longtime sponsor, who refused to guarantee her pay and benefits during her pregnancy and maternity leave.
So she exposed their unfair treatment of female athletes in a powerful op-ed for the New York Times and later signed a new deal with Athleta, a women’s activewear brand.
She also faced a life-threatening complication during her pregnancy. She developed severe pre-eclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure and organ damage, and had to deliver her baby girl, Camryn, at 32 weeks. Camryn weighed only 3 lbs, 7 oz., at birth and spent a month in the NICU.
Allyson shared her harrowing experience with Self magazine and became an advocate for black maternal health, as black women are disproportionately affected by pregnancy and childbirth-related deaths in the U.S.
Despite all the odds, Allyson and Camryn made a remarkable recovery and thrived. Allyson returned to the track with a new passion and purpose, and Camryn, now 10 months old, cheered her on from the stands. Allyson is not only the most decorated female track and field Olympian, with nine medals, but also the first athlete to win a gold medal in the mixed-gender 4x400m relay, a new event at the World Athletics Championships.
In May, she penned an op-ed for the New York Times about her experience as a Nike athlete, posing the question, ‘I’ve been one of Nike’s most widely marketed athletes. If I can’t secure maternity protections, who can?’
Allyson Felix had a tough choice to make: to become a mom or to keep her career as a professional athlete. She knew that getting pregnant could ruin her chances of getting a good contract with Nike, her longtime sponsor. But she decided to follow her heart and start a family in 2018.
Her pregnancy took a scary turn she never saw coming. She got hit with a serious condition called pre-eclampsia, putting both her and her baby’s lives in danger. They had to do an emergency C-section to deliver her daughter, Camryn, at just 32 weeks. Little Camryn weighed only 3 lbs 7 oz at birth and had to stay in the NICU for a whole month.
Allyson also had to deal with the harsh reality of the sports industry, where female athletes are often discriminated against and underpaid.
‘If we have children, we risk pay cuts from our sponsors during pregnancy and afterward. It’s one example of a sports industry where the rules are still mostly made for and by men,’ she wrote.
She revealed in a New York Times op-ed that Nike offered her 70 percent less money than before, after she became a mom. She asked them to guarantee that she wouldn’t lose her pay if she took some time off to recover from childbirth and take care of her baby. They refused.
She was not alone in her struggle. Two other Olympic runners, Alysia Montaño and Kara Goucher, also spoke out against Nike’s unfair treatment of pregnant and postpartum athletes. They broke their silence and their nondisclosure agreements to expose the truth.
Allyson shared a letter from Nike that stated they would better protect and support their female athletes after they were condemned by female athletes.
Their stories sparked a wave of change in the athletic wear industry. Several brands, such as Burton, Altra, Nuun, and Brooks, announced that they would protect their female athletes’ pay during and after pregnancy. Nike also said that it would add new language to its contracts to do the same.
Allyson, however, decided to part ways with Nike and join Athleta, a women’s activewear brand that supports her values. She became their first ever-sponsored athlete in late July.
‘I am particularly moved by the community of women and girls Athleta is empowering through sport. I feel powerful when I step on the track in Athleta, representing this community.’
Athleta added, ‘As women and athletes, we experience the joys and challenges that come with being both. It’s why we promise to support you—as an athlete, a mother, and an activist—as you continue to break records, break barriers, and break the silence.’
Allyson Felix is an inspiration to many, especially to mothers who face challenges and discrimination in their work and lives. She has shown that she can overcome any obstacle and achieve her dreams.