USA: ATHLETICS - SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD ALLYSON FELIX, WORLD'S FASTEST TEENAGER, TRAINS FOR THE 200 METER EVENT IN THE USA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

Record ID: 645886

  • Title: USA: ATHLETICS - SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD ALLYSON FELIX, WORLD'S FASTEST TEENAGER, TRAINS FOR THE 200 METER EVENT IN THE USA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS.
  • Date: 17th June 2003
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 17, 2003) (REUTERS) VARIOUS SHOTS OF ALLYSON FELIX AND MATT BINFORD TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLYSON FELIX TALKING ABOUT WHO HER BIGGEST RIVALS ARE AT THE 2003 USA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS SAYING: "I think it'll definitely be Kelli White and LaTasha Jenkins and Natasha Kalina Richardson just because they're running exceptionally well and they're definitely the ones that are doing well." VARIOUS SHOTS OF ALLYSON FELIX AND MATT BINFORD TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLYSON FELIX TALKING ABOUT THE COMPARISONS BETWEEN HER AND FLORENCE GRIFFITH JOYNER AND MARION JONES SAYING: "Its definitely a compliment and I take it that way, there's definitely, i'm trying to be something different than that also. It also encourages me and shows me where I can be in the future, so it goes both ways." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLYSON FELIX TALKING ABOUT WHAT HER ULTIMATE GOALS ARE SAYING: "Right now I think it would definitely be Olympic aspirations and in the short term just doing well at the world championships." ALLYSON FELIX RUNNING 200 METERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FELIX' COACH, JONATHAN PATTON TALKING ABOUT THE UPCOMING 2003 USA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS SAYING: "She's definitely going to be ready to race and she's well aware of the level of competition that she's going up against and she's hungry for it and been excited about it for some time so she'll be ready to go." ALLYSON FELIX WALKING ON TRACK (SOUNDBITE) (English) JONATHAN PATTON TALKING ABOUT WHETHER ALLYSON SHOULD GO PRO OR NOT SAYING: "She should make sure she's well aware of all her options before making that decision because you know the world's waiting on that decision and I know what i'm going to tell her to do is be ready to run on June 21st and find a couple of more races before the world championships. That's a colossal decision and I want to be able to be as much of an encouragement as I can and in so doing she knows that when she continues training the way she has been that she'll be ready to go." (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALLYSON FELIX TALKING ABOUT WHETHER SHE'LL GO PRO OR NOT SAYING: "Well right now i've made a commitment to USC but I wouldn't say anything is out of the question, i'm really trying to figure out what fits me best and suit me best for my goals, so that's a big dilemma." ALLYSON FELIX AND MATT BINFORD RUNNING THE 200 METERS ALLYSON FELIX WALKING ON THE TRACK NORTHRIDGE UNIVERSITY SIGN ALLYSON FELIX JUMPING THE FENCE AT NORTHRIDGE UNIVERSITY TRACK
  • Embargoed: 2nd July 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA2KSYRA59ESJ0X81CSS3OBTBA5
  • Story Text: Allyson Felix is the fastest teenager in the world and at just seventeen she's America's best hope of a medal at the next Olympic games, but first she has to qualify for the World Championships in Paris in August.
    Allyson Felix has been training hard for the 200 meter event at the 2003 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships being held at Stanford University in northern California June 19-22.
    Allyson currently holds the 200 meter record, but she's well aware that "Kelli White, LaTasha Jenkins and Natasha Kalina Richardson are running exceptionally well" and are hungry to set records of their own.
    Southern California has proved to be a hotbed of exceptional female athletes over the years.
    Jackie Joyner Kersee, Florence Griffiths Joyner (FloJo) and more recently Marion Jones all hailed from California and now Allyson Felix is following in their footsteps.
    The seventeen-year-old is proud to do just that and while some people would despair of the constant comparisons with their peers, Allyson says it "is definitely a compliment" and the success of those women encourages her to do well.
    The fastest teenager in the world, Allyson admits to having "Olympic aspirations," but says her priority right now is "doing well at the world championships" and solidifying her place on the world championships team.
    Felix is scheduled to enroll at the University of Southern California (USC) in September 2003, but since she is already leaving her rivals at the starting blocks, some say she'd be better off turning professional.
    There's no doubt there's a lot of money to be made in sport, but its a tough call for a teenager.
    Jonathan Patton has been Allyson's coach since she first set foot on the track and he says his protege needs to "make sure she's aware of all her options" before deciding what's best because turning pro "is a colossal decision."
    Its a decision that would undoubtedly change Allyson's life forever, and one that has to be made soon.
    Despite her commitment to USC, as far as Allyson's concerned "nothing is out of the question." She's says she's still grappling with all the options and "trying to figure out what's best for her"
    but says it is "a big dilemma."
    But right now all that can wait because if she doesn't do well this weekend there will be no place for her on the US World Championship team.
    Allyson is determined to be in Paris in August, 2003 and with her goals in mind, she's training hard.
    The irony is that while she's touted worldwide as an exceptional athlete, and has the records to prove it, Northridge University has yet to recognize her talent, so in order to train she has to climb over the fence to get to and from the track.
    Spring has been dominated by Marion Jones since 1997, but Felix is tearing down Jones' records one by one.
    First she stole the US Junior Record from under Marion's nose, by setting a 200 meters record of 22.51 at the Mt SAC Relays then she slashed nearly half a second off that in Mexico City to finish in just 22.11.
    Allyson has always been a fan of Marion Jones who is currently pregnant with her first child, and the two have met on several occasions.
    Felix is never too proud to ask for an autograph, but she may have a little more trouble getting used to signing them herself.
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