USATF petitions for Olympic schedule change for Allyson Felix double
U.S.A. Track and Field has petitioned to the International Association of Athletics Federation for a schedule change at the 2016 Olympics in order to allow sprinter Allyson Felix to attempt the 200-meter and 400-meter double.
“Allyson is the most decorated female athlete in IAAF history and should have the chance to go for a double, competing in what likely will be her fourth and final Olympic Games,” USATF CEO Max Siegel said in a statement. “Such an achievement would elevate the sport at the Games, and as a federation we owe it to her and to the sport as a whole to make the request.”
The IAAF confirmed USATF's backing for a schedule change in a statement to Reuters:
“We did receive an official request today from USATF. This will be reviewed in the next few days.”
Felix is coming off a year in which she won gold in the 400-meter dash at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in a personal best of 49.26. She won the Diamond League title in the 200 meter-dash. She did not contest the 200-meter dash at the world championships, which was won by Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands in a world championship record 21.63 second performance.
Watch Felix win gold at the world championships below:
[youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKLcrj7ingM]
• 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials schedule released for track and field
Felix's coach, Bobby Kersee, told Reuters that she will run the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Trials next July in Eugene, Ore. At the trials, she could compete in the three rounds of the 400-meter dash over the first three days and then rest until Day 8. The final three days of competition would focus on the 200-meter run with the final scheduled as the last event of the trials.
In Rio de Janeiro, the women’s 400-meter final and the first round of the 200-meters overlap in the same evening session and are only separated by an hour.
The International Olympic Committee made changes in the schedule for Michael Johnson at the 1996 Olympics.
Felix's resume has six Olympic medals and 14 world championship medals.
- Christopher Chavez
