(OBSERVER photo by Antonio R. Harvey)
EAST SACRAMENTO — Barely out of high school, World-class sprinter Allyson Felix was all but 18 years of age when she competed in the 2004 USA Track and Field Olympic Trials held in Sacramento.
From that appearance, Felix made the 2004 Olympic team and earned a silver medal in the 200 meter dash in Athens, Greece. Ten years later, Felix is back in Sacramento to compete in the 100 meter dash of the USATF Championships, again, at Sacramento State’s Hornet Field.
“The (2004) Olympic Trials was an amazing event,” Felix, 28, told The OBSERVER at a news conference on June 25 in Sacramento. “I really didn’t know what to expect, but it was a lot of fun. I was hungry and excited then. I hope I do well this time around.”
Felix and nearly 800 athletes will converged down on Sacramento to compete in the event. Justin Gatlin, Sanya Richards-Ross, Kara Petersen, Dawn Harper, Camelita Jeters, Dee Dee Trotter, LaShawn Merritt, Jeremy Wariner, Lolo Jones, Wallace Spearmon Jr., and more are expected to compete.
Hosted by the Sacramento Sports Commission (SSC) and the city of Sacramento, the first meet of this caliber was held at Sacramento State in 2000. With its success and record-breaking attendance, it was brought back in 2004. USATF and the SSC hopes to sell-out each day of the four-day event. Seating capacity is at 24,000 at Hornet Field.
For more information, dates and times, on the Track and Field Championships, visit http://www.usatf.org.
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OBSERVER Staff Writer
Antonio R. Harvey