TBT: Allyson Felix had an early start towards track and field greatness

United States Olympian Allyson Felix made headlines this week when an unconventional but totally legal dive kept her from a gold medal in the women's 400-meter race. She's still a winner in our hearts, though -- and in quite a few other events, too.

After securing silver in the 400-meter, Felix officially became the most decorated female Olympian in U.S. track and field history, edging out the great Jackie Joyner-Kersee with a total of seven medals.

Of course, that kind of success doesn't come without years and years of training. Felix discovered her affinity for sprinting when she was a teenager at Los Angeles Baptist High School in California. After becoming a five-time winner at the CIF California State Meet, which includes all but five schools in the state, Felix earned the honor of being named the national girl's 'High School Athlete of the Year' by Track & Field News in 2003.

Felix's first Olympics were the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, where she won her first Olympic medal: silver in the women's 200-meter race. She earned another silver in the same race at the 2008 Games in Beijing, where she also won her first gold in the 4x400-meter relay. Felix went on to win three golds at the 2012 London Olympics, and with her silver this week, the rest is history.