When Allyson Felix became pregnant, Nike was prepared to cut the terms of Felix's endorsement by as much as 70% due to the pregnancy, and told her to “know your place and just run.” 🤯
Amid all of this, she was forced to have an emergency c-section seven months into her pregnancy because of a potentially life-threatening condition and her baby had to live for more than a month in the NICU. But two years later she’s qualified for her fifth Olympics with her daughter watching.
Felix dropped Nike and created her own brand of running shoes, the Saysh One. She is currently running in the Olympics in Japan wearing them under the banner “I Know My Place”. 😏
With 11 medals now, she passed Carl Lewis this summer for the most track and field medals by an American in history!
"I used my voice and built this company for you. So that you never have to train at 4:30am while you're 5 months pregnant to hide your pregnancy from your sponsor.”
Lisa Lavender: …and in other news, the recent announcement of a new model of combat airship by Atlas has been denounced by many as a geopolitical Power Move!
Arkos kid: *watching tv* What’s a “Power Move?”
Jaune: Well, remember how your mom was a tournament star and won all those awards and trophies in the front hallway?
Arkos kid: *nods*
Jaune: Well, she was being sponsored by some very high-end athletic clothing companies to fight in those tournaments and use their clothes, but when she got pregnant with you they decided to cancel the sponsorship because they thought her career was over.
Arkos kid: That’s not fair! Mom still kicks butt!
Jaune: *nods and pets his kid’s hair* That’s right! But companies like that make a lot of unfair decisions and they thought mommy wouldn’t be able to compete as well after having a baby!
Jaune: *kneels down* But you know what mommy did? When you were only a few months old she re-entered a big tournament and beat all the athletes who that company had sponsored instead of her, and when she was given her trophy and posed for the cameras she made sure you were up there with her where everyone could see!
Arkos kid: You mean that picture on the wall? 🤩
Jaune: *proud father and husband* Yep! 😌
Jaune: …and THAT, was a real power move!
Athletic sponsors do this all the time in women’s sports, even when there are supposedly maternity protections in athletes’ contracts. Allyson Felix, an American track athlete, won more Olympic medals than Usain Bolt but was basically dropped by Nike when she started a family, then came back and won at least one more gold medal!
The women’s World record is 47.6 seconds. Allyson Felix’s time (in the 4x400) of 50.7s was only 3.1 seconds over that world record. For additional reference, Sydney McCaughin ran the 400 meter hurdles in 50.68 seconds.
USC President Carol L. Folt announced the university is naming the field at one of its landmark sports facilities in honor of Allyson Felix. Felix is an alumna and Olympian who has been a hero both on and off the track, earning the most Olympic medals of any track athlete in U.S. history.