NEW YORK – Olympic medallist, Allyson Felix, says she is proud of fellow sports stars speaking out on mental health issues, although more has to be done to support athletes, including those with young children.
Allyson was speaking shortly before being confirmed as Sportswoman of the Year at the Annual Salute to Women awards in New York. Tennis player, Naomi Osaka, who spoke about her mental health problems earlier this year, was given the Wilma Rudolph Courage award.
Allyson, 35, is now the most decorated female track and field athlete of all time at the Olympics, and no American has won more than her 11 medals, which included a gold and a bronze in Tokyo.
“I think that it’s just a special time for women in sports and using our voice,” Allyson, whose daughter Camryn was born in 2018, told Reuters.
“I was so proud of Naomi (Osaka) and Simone (Biles) for bringing this conversation to the forefront and getting people to think, and think about the way that we view athletes, and that we are human, and that, you know, we all have struggles and I think we just have to support each other better, and holistically, and understand that these are real issues.”
Although Allyson was able to return to on-track success following the birth of her daughter, other athletes have not.
“So many women... did have children young, and had a really challenging time being able to come back to the sport, and just weren’t supported in the right ways. I definitely feel like there are so many women who came before me.” – Reuters, October 14, 2021
