Two Years After Walking Out on Nike and Starting Her Own Brand, US Track and Field Star Silences Haters With a Bold Confession

The world has plenty of sneaker companies. What we don’t have is a surplus of women-centric sneaker brands. And one athlete has decided to change that. After a rather public fallout with sneaker giant Nike in 2019, the most decorated track and field star in the U.S. Allyson Felix was unable to land another sponsorship deal with a shoe brand.

This led her to launch her own shoe company, Saysh, a few years ago; a brand that she feels caters to the needs of women. In a recent Instagram post from her company’s official handle, Felix hits back at everybody who doubted her throughout her journey to launch her own brand.

Allyson Felix knows her place in the world

Felix, one of the most decorated American track stars, said that throughout her journey of building Saysh, she was constantly discouraged by people. She said, “They told me to know my place. That starting my own brand was impossible.” But Felix did not let anybody wear her out. As she boldly says in the post, “Remember when they told us to know our place? We knew women deserved better.”

The Olympian claims that most sneaker brands do not cater to the needs of women with their shoe designs. She asserts that her main goal is to make shoes for women, according to the feet requirements of women. “At Saysh we make our sneakers based on women’s feet. Because we’re done being an afterthought”, the post says.

According to a TIME report, Felix opened up on what her brand really stands for and said, “It’s for that woman who has been overlooked, or feels like their voice hasn’t been heard.” A part of her post’s caption read, “And in our shoes, we broke records and won gold.” This was in reference to her winning Olympic gold in her very own Saysh spikes at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Since her public break-up with Nike in 2019, Allyson Felix has maximized her platform and reach and has become a staunch advocate for women’s rights in sports. Post her fallout with Nike, the Olympian has embarked on a journey with one goal in mind – to uplift women in sports.

Allyson Felix is a pioneer in women’s rights in sports

Back in 2019, Allyson Felix and sneaker giants Nike had a public fallout. The dispute was a matter related to maternity protections for Nike-sponsored women athletes. Felix stood her ground and dissociated herself from Nike and the company, which in turn, had to alter its policies and provide additional benefits to Nike mothers. Felix believes this is part of her legacy. She always wanted to bring about change, and that is why she decided to run in the first place.

Read more: “We Exist to See Women…to Know Their Value”: Allyson Felix Explains the True Motive Behind Her New Brand ‘Saysh’

Talking about her legacy in an Instagram post, Felix said, “The medals are not what it is important—the change is what matters.” Felix believes Saysh is not just a brand. She asserts that her company is a movement for change. The track star is encouraging more women to stand up and defy expectations with her women-focused brand. She believes that Saysh is her next chapter and will continue to use this platform in order to impact lives.

Watch this story: 11x Legendary Olympic Sprinter Allyson Felix Reveals the Driving Force Behind Her Potential Comeback