Unassuming Felix kicks up a storm

By Gene Cherry

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - The words seemed contradictory -- "Allyson (Felix) is like a quiet storm," said U.S. women's head coach Jeanette Bolden.

"She is kind of quiet, unassuming. But you cannot be that quiet and run the times she has run."

Times like those Felix made to win three gold medals at the 2007 world championships, the 2005 world 200 metres title and a silver in the 2004 Olympics.

The 2007 triple was especially meaningful for Felix who became a professional athlete immediately after high school.

She won the world 200 metres in a personal best of 21.81 seconds for the first sub-22 second performance by a woman in eight years. Eye-catching carries followed in the 4x100 and 4x400 metres relays that lifted the Americans to a sweep.

Her time of 48.0 seconds in the latter was the fifth-fastest carry of all time, Track & Field News magazine reported.

"I'm pretty laid-back generally away from the track," the 22-year-old told reporters at the U.S. Olympic trials. "But when I get on that line and I see the competition, I get extremely competitive and it brings the best out of me.

"And I hate to lose."