Allyson Felix's storied career as a track and field athlete ended after the 2022 World Championships in Eugene. However, it isn't fair to say that she "retired." Felix is now a busy entrepreneur, a mother of two, and a member of the LA28 Organizing Committee. On May 1, 2025, Danimals announced a new role for Felix in partnership with the Instacart delivery service. The overall most decorated athlete in the history of track and field is helping to rescue parents from snack time emergencies. Allyson Felix is a "Snack Hero."
Felix had nearly a two-decade run at the top level of the sport, winning her first medal at the age of eighteen in the 200m at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She became well known for her trackside heroics and and consistency as a sprinter. Her last major medal was a bronze in Eugene in 2022, which she earned in the mixed gender 4x400m relay.
It's hard to comment on one woman's medal table when it contains thirty-one outdoor medals, more than some countries have earned cumulatively. But, the mixed gender relay, introduced to the World Championships in 2019 and the Olympics in 2021, was an addition worth discussing. Allyson Felix granted an interview to FanSided to discuss her legacy in the sport and her new partnership with Danimals.
Allyson Felix on the Mixed 4x400m
When Allyson Felix helped the U.S. win gold in the mixed 4x400m in Doha in 2019, she became the first athlete to medal in three different relays on the world stage. In recalling the madness of the mixed 4x400m when gender order was still at each team's discretion, Felix said, "The mixed 4x4 is a lot of fun. I remember when it first got introduced. It's not one of the traditional, historical events. But, after I participated in it—especially after I came home—I heard from so many people just how exciting it was for them."
For Felix, who always kept a busy schedule between individual and relay races at top-level meets, it's hard to imagine her having participated in every mixed 4x4, had it been contested since 2004.
However, what's indisputable is that Felix's eye-popping medal count would be higher if the mixed relay was introduced earlier. It would have been possible for her to have only run a qualifying leg to keep her load lighter and still receive a medal. Bolstered by the dozens of elite long sprinters produced by the United States, even the country's 'B' teams would have been podium fixtures throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Although she agreed with the premise, Allyson Felix appreciates that track and field is an evolving sport and that, in the future, it may be slightly easier for someone to surpass her medal count.
"It's a super fun one and, yeah, there's a lot more medals to be won. That's how things go. Things evolve —there's always things to be added."
Transitioning away from competition
In April 2022, Felix announced that she'd be retiring at the end of the track season, which concluded with the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon. Felix, who had a strong showing at the U.S. Championships, ran a fast qualifying leg on the mixed 4x400m in Eugene and watched as the team crossed the finish line in third, earning her her thirty-first career medal.
Felix, then thirty-six years old, ran a commendable second leg for the U.S. in qualifying, often cited as the fastest female leg of the day. When asked if "Why stop now?" ever crossed her mind, she responded:
"You always have the moments where you think about wins. For me, at that point, I was just really tired. I'd been through a hard journey leading up to the Olympics [in 2021] and then, that next year, to come right into it, there was a lot on my plate. I don't know if there is ever a perfect time where you feel ready to walk away from something you love, but, for me, I felt really proud of all the things I had done. It was time for a new chapter."
That new chapter involved spending more time with her daughter, Cammy, who was born in 2018. And, later, her son Trey, who was born in 2024. Cammy had the chance to see Allyson compete at the tail end of her career, but Trey did not. Allyson said, "I can't believe that he's already one. He hasn't been a part of that phase of my life but he'll see all the videos and recordings and all of those things and it'll be fun to relive the journey with him."
That journey also saw Felix launch her own running shoe brand, Saysh, in June 2021, and being an athlete representative on the IOC as well as the LA 2028 board. As an Angelino who won't be competing in the 2028 Olympic Games, she said: "It's really exciting to see the other side of things. It'll bring a lot of new fans to a number of different sports and I'm most excited to bring my family to the Games. My daughter will be at that age where she can really understand what's happening. There will be some unforgettable moments."
Becoming a "Snack Hero" with Danimals
Felix's view on retirement from competitive running is that it's merely "a transition from one phase of work to another." This new phase has brought a partnership with Danimals, which is especially fitting because Felix has two children and her oldest, Cammy, is participating in many different sports:
"She's playing baseball, she's doing karate. She loves to swim. She's tried gymnastic and soccer—we do it all."
Allyson said that when she picks her daughter up, "Her first question is always, 'Do you have a snack for me?'"
Danimals has been a longtime favorite amongst kids. Parents today who might have been in elementary school when Allyson Felix won her first medal in 2004 likely remember it. However, 20 years later, the yogurt and dairy aisle of the grocery store looks totally different.
Lindsey Lee, Senior Director of Family & Kids Yogurt at Danone North America, was asked how Danimals has adapted and managed to remain a go-to product.
"In the 2000s, yogurt brands found success by focusing on kids with fun, great-tasting products. But as the kids’ snacking landscape evolved and overall focus shifted towards well-rounded wellness for the family, so did parents' expectations.
Danimals has always been known as a fun brand that kids love to eat. With Millennials becoming parents and an increasing variety of options available on shelves, we have an opportunity to further educate parents more meaningfully about the nutrients within our products, like Vitamin D and Calcium, which help support growing bones.
That’s what makes Danimals the yogurt that makes both my kids and me smile – something I can pack in their lunch daily that’s hassle-free and something I can feel good about giving them!"
Her background as an elite athlete grants her a deep understanding of nutrition, calling making smart choices and inspecting nutritional labels "super important." Danimals offers a line of smoothies, pouches, and yogurt cups with no artificial colors, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup.
Allyson is not just a Snack Hero for her family, she also recently surprised the Los Angeles Jets Track & Field Club to deliver snacks that satisfied even the "pickiest" eaters. Now, with one of the fastest women in the history of athletics partnering with Danimals and Instacart, picky eaters and youth athletes across the country can get Snack Hero deliveries in thirty minutes or less.
Visit Instacart from May 1 (until supplies last) to order a Snack Hero delivery in as fast as 30 minutes including $15 worth of eligible snacks using the promo code SNACKHERO-15*. In addition to Danimals, consumers can choose what they want in their Snack Hero delivery for up to $15 off other qualifying snacks.
To be the Snack Hero for their family any time, parents can visit Danimals.com to find their favorite Danimals products at a store near them and follow @the_official_danimals on across social media platforms to keep up with the latest news.
*Up to $15 off eligible products that total $5 or more through one retailer on Instacart with your order, while supplies last. Limited time only. Taxes, delivery, services fees and terms apply.