Allyson Felix, the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history, is planning a return to competition with the aim of reaching the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where she would be 42. Felix, who retired after the Tokyo Olympics cycle and last competed at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, is targeting what would be her sixth Olympic appearance, a project she has internally framed as “Project Six.” The Games in Los Angeles, her home city, form the centre of that ambition.
A record-setting career already unmatched
Felix’s career numbers place her in a category of her own. She has won 11 Olympic medals, seven gold, three silver and one bronze, the highest total by any woman in Olympic athletics. Across World Championships, she has collected 20 medals, bringing her combined tally at major global events to 31. Her Olympic journey began in 2004, when she won silver in the 200 metres. Her first gold followed in 2008 in the 4x400m relay at the Beijing Games, where she also added another silver in the 200m. Over the next decade, she became a central figure in United States relay dominance, winning six of her seven Olympic gold medals in team events, alongside her individual 200m gold at the London 2012 Games. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, she added a relay gold and a bronze in the 400 metres before stepping away from the sport.
Why Los Angeles is pulling her back
Felix has been clear that the location of the 2028 Games is the defining factor behind her decision.“This is a once-in-a-lifetime homecoming.“And it is the only thing powerful enough to pull me back,” she said in an interview with Times magazine. “I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that,” she said. “I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.” The prospect of competing in front of a home crowd has remained central to her thinking. “When I was competing, you just heard this roar for host-country athletes at the Olympics. I would love to experience that.” Her goal is to be part of the opening ceremony on July 14, 2028, even if qualification itself remains uncertain.
A return built around family and timing
Allison Felix, who serves on the athletes’ commission for the LA28 Olympic organising committee, is approaching her comeback with a different structure from her earlier career. Now a mother of two, daughter Camryn, 7, and son Trey, 2, she has said she will not return to a full global competition schedule. Instead, she plans to begin a full training programme with longtime coach Bobby Kersee in October, with the expectation of returning to certified competition in 2027 to meet qualification requirements for the US Olympic trials. She gave birth to her second child in 2024 and has spent the past few years away from elite competition, a period that has shaped how she approaches a potential return. Reflecting on stepping away from the sport, she said: “It was definitely mixed emotions. There were moments where I was like, ‘Oh, this is so great. It’s so exciting to be in the stands and on the other side.’ And then there were moments where I was, ‘You know, I miss this feeling.’”
A comeback without illusions
Felix has repeatedly stressed that the attempt is not driven by external expectations or financial incentives. “I would think track and field would not be the place to do it for the money,” she said with a laugh. “I feel very fulfilled.” Instead, the motivation is tied to the idea of trying, regardless of the outcome. “I would probably be upset at myself if I just didn’t give it a try. “However it turns out, I’ll still be there with my kids, hanging out and cheering everybody on.”
Allyson Felix shocks fans at 40 as she returns from retirement to chase Los Angeles 2028 Olympic dreams (Image via Getty)
She has also acknowledged the reality of returning at this stage of her life and career. “You know, at this age, I should probably be staying home and taking care of my kids, doing all that. And just, why not? Let’s flip it on its head.” “I totally get the person who sticks around too long and you’re like, ‘What are they doing?’ I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that. I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way.”
What lies ahead
Felix’s plan does not guarantee a return to the Olympic stage, given the depth of competition in US track and field and the demands of the qualification process. For now, the focus is on gradually building back, with training expected to pick up toward the end of 2026, followed by a return to racing in 2027 and, if things progress well, a push toward the 2028 Olympic trials.If successful, it would mark a 24-year span between her first Olympic medal in 2004 and a potential appearance in Los Angeles.Whether she makes the team or not, Felix has framed the attempt in simple terms, as an opportunity she does not want to leave unexplored.
