By Shawn Medow
Allyson Felix speaks to reporters at the Valley River Inn on Friday to preview the Pre Classic. Photo by Shawn Medow
Last year, the 200 meters was a disappointing event for Allyson Felix. She tore ligaments in her ankle and could not compete at the Pre Classic, and then she missed the Olympics after coming in fourth in the Olympic trials.
This year, Felix is ready to go in the 200 meters at the Prefontaine Classic, Saturday at Hayward Field.
“Last year was just a really, really tough year for me,” Felix said. “Coming off that I’m just happy to be healthy, and I’m going to be grateful to step into those blocks tomorrow and hopefully have some fun.”
The field is tough. Olympic gold medalist Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, who finished third in last year’s Pre Classic, and defending Pre Classic 200-meter champion Tori Bowie, who won bronze in Rio, are both in the race. Not to the Rio 400-meter gold medalist, Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, Oregon alumna and 2016 Olympian Jenna Prandini, and 200-meter Rio silver medalist Dafne Schippers of The Netherlands.
“It’s an awesome field,” Felix said. “I think it’s really cool how the women seem to step up. We want to have really great quality races, and this is going to be one of them.”
It will be Thompson’s third time competing at Hayward, and she praised the “good crowd” and “good weather” ahead of her highly competitive race.
“It’s a strong field,” Thompson said. “We have eight talented women who are supposed to be in that lineup. I can only speak for myself because I’m in my own lane, I’m in my own race and to let it speak for itself.”
Thompson and Felix attended the Prefontaine Classic press conference on Friday at the Valley River Inn.
“Obviously, she’s a phenomenal talent and it’s going to be good to race each other,” Felix said. “I don’t think we’ve actually raced too much— it’ll be exciting to be out there.”
Thompson grinned when asked about her relationship with Felix and whether she feels any competitiveness between the two highly acclaimed sprinters.
“She’s a great competitor,” Thompson said. “She’s also a good person—she’s always smiling.”
Neither runner particularly enjoys the 200 meters. Even though Felix won a gold medal in the 200 at the 2012 Olympics, she said she likes herself better in the 400. Thompson also excels in the 100 and claims the 200 is “too long.”
“I don’t really like 200,” Thompson said. “The more I hate it, the more I get better. I think I will stick with hating and see how better I get. I [can’t] get too comfortable, so I just have to go out there and do 100 percent.”
