Allyson Felix is an American track and field sprinter who is a six-time Olympic gold medalist. One of the most decorated female Olympians in the track and field history, she has a total of nine medals. A runner who specializes in the 100 m, 200 m, and 400 m, she ran the fastest sprint ever recorded by an American woman in the 4 × 400 m relay at the 2015 World Championships. Interested in sports from a young age, she displayed great speed on the track and strength in the gym while still in high school. In 2003, she was named the national girls' "High School Athlete of the Year" by ‘Track and Field News.’ Upon graduating from high school she decided to forego college eligibility and signed a professional contract with Adidas who paid her college tuition at the University of Southern California. She made her Olympics debut as an 18-year-old in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens where she earned a silver medal in the 200-meter race. She enjoyed greater success at the 2012 Olympic Games in London with a tally of three golds. Her successes continued over the following years and she proceeded to win two more gold medals at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. She is coached by the famous coach Bob Kersee.