RIO DE JANEIRO _ The ankle injury that undermined Allyson Felix's chance to earn an Olympic berth in the 200-meter dash feels "close to normal," she said Wednesday, but the Los Angeles native still hasn't recovered emotionally from the misfortune that cost her an opportunity to defend her Olympic 200-meter title.
Felix tore ligaments in her ankle in a weight-room accident in late April and labored at the U.S. track and field trials last month. She qualified to run the 400 in the Rio Games but didn't make the top three in the 200, derailing her plans of pursuing a 200-400 double. She is in the pool to run both the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relays and has practiced with both groups, so she still might match her London medal haul of three golds. Felix, 30, owns six Olympic medals from her three previous Games, four gold and two silver.
"It's definitely heartbreaking for me not to be there. It's my favorite race," she said at a news conference in advance of Friday's first Rio Olympic track and field events. "I wish things would have gone differently for me but that's just a part of work and things you have to deal with and I just had to regroup and keep moving on.
"Of course I'll watch. It will be difficult, especially with how I feel now. I would love to defend my title and see where I'm at in the 200 meters but that's not the case. It's going to be a great race and a lot of talent in there so it will be tough for me to watch."
Felix said she has made a lot of progress in healing but acknowledged she has "some issues with recovery." She said she has brought the physiotherapist she works with at home and is also working with a chiropractor.
Adjusting her expectations might have been the most difficult part of preparing for these Games.
"Definitely I had to refocus," she said. "I was disappointed with my 200 performance at trials but I just had to put everything in perspective with what's happened to me this year and just be grateful to even be on the Olympic team and go after this new challenge."
