Track and field icon Allyson Felix, 40, is coming out of retirement and attempting to qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Felix, the most-decorated women’s track athlete of all time, announced her intentions during a recent exclusive interview with Time Magazine.
Felix is a Los Angeles native, living in Southern California her entire life. The 11-time Olympic medalist views the 2028 Los Angeles Games as an opportunity she simply can’t ignore.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime homecoming,” Felix said, via Time. “And it is the only thing powerful enough to pull me back.”
Felix said she’s taken inspiration from athletes like LeBron James, Tom Brady and Lindsey Vonn, who continued to compete at the highest level into their 40s.
“So many of us have been told not to do the big, bold thing,” Felix said. “You know, at this age, I should probably be staying home and taking care of my kids, doing all that. And just, why not? Let’s flip it on its head. Let’s go after the thing. Let’s be vulnerable.”
Felix will be 42 by the time the 2028 Olympics roll around. She recognizes that she’s not at her physical peak, but she wants to know if she’s still fast enough to qualify for her sixth Olympic appearance.
“I totally get the person who sticks around too long and you’re like, ‘What are they doing?’” Felix added. “I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that. I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.”
Felix took home bronze in the 400m and gold in the 4x400m relay during her last Olympic appearance at the 2020 Tokyo Games.