As of Sept. 29, Allyson Felix is now the world record holder for most gold medals won at the track and field World Championships. Felix won 13 gold medals, surpassing the previous record-holder Usain Bolt’s total of 11.
Felix’s victory is monumental for reasons far beyond the number of medals she won: she’s a new mother. Felix gave birth to her first child just 10 months ago, but that never slowed her down. Felix chose to continue her athletic career and hopes to use this choice to inspire her daughter and children all over the globe. In an interview with People magazine, Felix said, “This victory feels so different because I see it through the eyes of my daughter. I hope this lets her know that she can do anything she wants and that if she does it ‘Like a Girl’ that’s even better.”
Following the world-record determining race, Felix tweeted, “this one is for all the baby mamas.” Athleta, an athletic clothing brand that Felix now has a sponsorship deal with following a split from Nike after issues with the company’s maternity policy, tweeted a quote from Felix following the win, “I’ve had to fight a lot this year- for my health, for my daughter, for women & mothers, for what I deserve and for my fitness.”
Felix’s perseverance and performance acts as a testament against the age-old stereotype that the only good mother is the one who stays at home. Motherhood comes in all different forms. Stay-at-home mothers are great. Employed mothers are great. Adoptive mothers are great. Foster mothers are great. Single mothers are great.
A mother’s career, circumstances, and goals do not take away any less of their ability to be committed and loving to their child. Women from all walks of life become mothers, and they are each great in their own way. Just because someone else’s motherhood may look different than yours doesn’t make theirs any less valuable.
Each mother is a winner. Each mother is gold medalist, no matter the life they choose to lead, and Felix is just one of the many examples of that.