Allyson Felix at the Olympic Summit: The 100/200 Double is a Real Possibility in London
By LetsRun.com
May 13, 2012
The USOC Team USA 2012 Olympic Media Summit is taking place in Dallas Sunday thru Tuesday. On Sunday track and field stars, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Wallace Spearmon, Lashinda Demus, Trey Hardee, Jillian Camarena-Williams, Brittney Reese, and Hyleas Fountain addressed the media. A full recap of Sunday's highlights from the track and field athletes can be found here. If you're just interested in Allyson Felix, we've got video of her nearly 10 minute break away interview below with the text on Allyson from our full Day 1 recap below. We'll have more this week and are putting this up for those of you who want to watch it in its entirety.
Felix Says the 100/200 Olympic Double a Real Possibility
Allyson Felix first priority is still getting Olympic gold at 200. Felix got Olympic silver at 200m as an 18 year old in 2004, then followed that up with a silver four years later. Felix is still interested in doubling at the Olympics, and said she may seriously consider the 100/200 double instead of the 200/400 double.
Last year at the World Championships Felix attempted the 200/400 double and got silver in the 400 while she slipped to bronze in her marquee event, the 200. In London, both the 100 and 400 are before the 200, but Felix believes doing the 100 will leave her fresher for the 200. Ultimately, her coach Bobby Kersee will decide. She said, "The 200 is my priority and that's what I'm really focused on at the (Olympic) Trials... Bobby will make that decision as we get close."
Felix was in Dallas after an around the world trip that saw her go from LA to Japan to compete last Sunday in the Kawasaki Grand Prix where she won the 100m in bad weather in 11.22. She then flew to Doha, Qatar where on Friday she won the 100m at the Diamond League meet in a personal best 10.92 defeating Olympic champs Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Veronica Campbell Brown. Two days later she was in Dallas, somehow smiling and addressing the media.
Whereas Allyson had talked about doing the 100/200 double before she said the great results in the 100m in Doha changed things not for her, but with the media. She said, "It's (the 100/200 double) definitely one of my possibilities that I talked about from the beginning. Until my last race I don't think a lot of people believed me....I want to call the 200 my baby. It's my favorite. I've had the last eight years to think about being a silver medallist."
If the order of events were reversed Felix would likely try the 200/400 double saying, "I do feel comfortable I can do two events... The hardest thing is the 400 comes first. If the events were reversed it wouldn't be a question for me." When asked if Felix thought she said she could run 10.7, she laughed and said she needs to take care of running in the 10.8s first.
Nearly 10 Minutes With Allyson Felix:
*Full Day 1 Recap: Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Wallace Spearmon, Lashinda Demus, Trey Hardee, Jillian Camarena-Williams, Brittney Reese, and Hyleas Fountain
*More on Allyson from ESPN
*Wallace Spearmon Video
*Sanya Richards Ross Video
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