Allyson Felix Chooses The 400m For IAAF World Championships

Allyson Felix Chooses The 400m For IAAF World Championships

Jul 29, 2015 by Lincoln Shryack
Allyson Felix Chooses The 400m For IAAF World Championships




Four-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix has made her decision. 
 
The 2015 400m US champion has elected to run just the 400m at next month’s IAAF World Championships in Beijing, opting to forego the 200m due to scheduling conflicts between the two events. The 200 semi-final and 400m final are separated by just one hour on Day 6 of competition, making it impossible for the 29-year-old to compete in both. 
 
Felix took to Instagram to make her announcement: 

 

Getting some 400 work in to get ready for worlds - excited to step it up and challenge myself next month.

A photo posted by Allyson Felix (@af85) on


Felix had a bye for the 200m at the World Championships in Beijing by virtue of her Diamond Race title from 2014. Had she elected to run the 200, Felix certainly would have been on a shortlist of favorites for gold as her 21.98 from Doha on May 15th is still the fastest time run in 2015. The American won three straight World titles in the 200 in 2005, 2007, and 2009, as well as the 2012 Olympic gold medal in the event. 

The sprinter's coach also confirmed the decision. "We wanted to do both (200m and 400m) but the schedule will not allow it, so it's the 400," Bob Kersee told Reuters
 
Felix competed in both events at the 2011 World Championships, earning bronze in the 200m and silver in the 400m, but the events did not fall on the same day like they do this year. 

Felix’s 50.05 in the Pre Classic 400m makes her the fourth-fastest woman in the world this season, although two of the women above her, Americans Francena McCorory and Sanya Richards-Ross, did not qualify for Worlds.