Felix is second to one - again

BEIJING - Following the women's 200-meter final, the Felix family gathered at National Stadium and consoled Allyson Felix. There were tears. Her coach, Bob Kersee, took a short walk with Felix and reminded the star sprinter of all she's accomplished. Still, the silver medal was not what Felix wanted.

"I feel ungrateful to say I was disappointed with this medal because so many people don't get this opportunity," said Felix, who tried to hold back tears. "I'm grateful. I'm happy. I'm going to hold my head up and be proud of it."

Asked if there was a moment when the loss hit hard, Felix added: "It's still getting to me. I don't think it's completely set in. I think the moment when I saw my family it definitely hit me. They're an amazing support and they're going to help me get through this."

It was more than the silver medal that upset Felix. It was the way she ran against defending Olympic 200 champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica.

From the start, Campbell-Brown looked strong. Though fellow Jamaican Kerron Stewart (who won the bronze) held a slight lead entering the turn, when the sprinters emerged from the bend and entered the home straight Campbell-Brown was comfortably ahead. She extended her lead in the final 50 and finished in a personal-best 21.74 seconds.

"I knew that I may not be that strong on the turns but I just didn't have it down the straightaway like I normally do," said Felix. "I don't think I can be thrilled because my expectations were so high . . . I was wide awake. I saw [Campbell-Brown] cruise right by me."

Trying to catch Campbell-Brown, Felix never looked comfortable, though she crossed the line in a season-best 21.93. Felix said her "start was terrible" and "the end wasn't that great." Although she was confident entering the race, Felix acknowledged she could have been a little more race sharp. But Felix said trying to make the US team in the 100 did not have any negative effect on her preparation for the 200.

"We're disappointed, but we're proud of her," said her father, Paul Felix. "When she came off the curve, she was a little far behind. I would have liked to seen her a little bit closer off the curve. Obviously, she came to the Olympics wanting gold . . . When she was with us, she let out the tears. When you're disappointed, I have no problem with letting your emotions show. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

With Campbell-Brown's victory, the Jamaicans won gold in the men's and women's 100 and 200 competitions and earned six of the 12 medals. But losing to Campbell-Brown was more personal for Felix.

The rivalry has grown since the 2004 Athens Olympics, when Felix also finished second to Campbell-Brown. Felix won the 200 world title in 2005 and 2007 and appeared poised to claim her first individual gold medal. In 2007, she ran a personal-best 21.81 to secure the world title and posted the biggest margin of victory in world championship history (0.53). Campbell-Brown was the distant silver medalist.

"She wanted the gold medal," said Kersee. "A psychiatrist told me one time that it was easier to accept the bronze medal at the Olympic Games than the silver medal. With the silver medal, you've always got that feeling that you were so close. You were right there. This is her second Olympic experience to run second to the same person. It's tough for her to handle.

"I'm glad that the tenacity is there. It shows that she has the courage to step up and tell the world she wanted to win the gold medal. There's nothing to be ashamed about. You can never take away from great performances. I teach all my athletes to go after the gold medal. She's young and once she realizes what her accomplishments have been so far and the respectability people have for her will all come together once the emotions die down."

Felix doesn't know what the US coaches are planning for the 4 x 400 relay, but she is ready and available. She is tied for the fastest time of the season in the 400 and would make a potent combination with 400 bronze medalist Sanya Richards. Both would be running to ease the disappointment of losing gold in individual events.

And what about the 2012 London Olympics?

"I can't even think about it," said Felix. "It's four years away. That's way too far."

But at 22, Felix has plenty of time left in her career. London may finally be the place she can claim the individual Olympic gold medals everyone predicted she would win as a high school phenom.

"She's got a young target on her back, but she's still a baby," said Kersee. "Women sprinters start getting into their prime around 24 to 26. So, she's just starting to get there."