US track star Felix hits town to inspire Pinoy runners

MANILA, Philippines – American track star Allyson Felix, an Olympic four-gold winner and World Championship eight-gold holder, visited the country Tuesday, sharing her inspiring story and promoting the Manila stage of Nike’s We Run 2013 set Dec. 1 in Marikina.

The biggest track athlete to visit the Philippines in years, Felix drew warm welcome from Filipino running enthusiasts in her appearance in Planet Sport at Bonifacio Global High and later at the Ayala Triangle Park.

Manila was a part of Felix’s three-city tour in Southeast Asia, helping drum up Nike’s We Run 2013, particularly the Manila run that is expected to draw over 15,000 participants.

In line with its theme “You Move, I Move”, runners must sign up for the race with a “buddy” to encourage runners to constantly motivate each other to achieve their goals.

Around 350,000 runners from around the world are taking part in the We Run series motivated by Nike+ and Nike Running design innovations.

From Sao Paulo, to Seoul, to Singapore, runners compete in races ranging from 5K to full marathon.

Felix encouraged the Filipinos to pursue their passions and push their limits.

She and her story are good inspirations.

“Allyson Felix is a huge inspiration to all of us. She inspires not only women but all people who have experienced difficult challenges in life. By taking those challenges and turning them into motivation, Allyson has achieved much in her career being the only US athlete to win three Olympic gold medals since 1988,” said Courtney Cole-Faso, the Nike Phl country marketing manager.

“Allyson’s story can be compared to the spirit and courage of Filipinos who have experienced challenges in life but still choose to rise above those challenges and succeed.”

The world champion’s climb to international glory has been a pleasantly unexpected journey. Having picked up the sport already in ninth grade, Allyson zoomed to greatness quickly, establishing a first world junior record in 200m at 18.

And she’s never turned her back from there.

She rose to the mountaintop in the London Olympics with a three-goal haul in 200m, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay.

In 2008 in Beijing, she copped her first Olympic gold medal as part of the US triumphant 4x400m relay.

In Athens in 2004 and in Beijing four years later, she was only runner-up in her pet event.

“But I never stopped dreaming, and there was I living the dream in London,” said Felix.

From 2005 to 2011, she won eight World Championship gold medals in 200m, 4x100m relay and 4x4m relay.

At present, she’s already a four-time recipient of the Jesse Owens Award from USATP as Athlete of the Year – only the second woman to win the award at least thrice after Marion Jones.

Felix was also winner of the IAAF female athlete of the year in 2012.

For all these awards, she exudes the aura of simplicity and humbleness.