Beaten but unbowed, Allyson Felix said Saturday she is determined to bring the curtain down on her glittering track and field career on her own terms.
The 33-year-old American superstar failed to clinch a 400m berth for the World Championships after only finishing sixth at Drake Stadium, but could still travel to Doha as a member of the USA relay squad.
It means that for the first time, Felix will not enter an individual event at a major championship, an astonishing 16-year streak that encompasses four Olympic Games and eight world championships.
Yet Felix, who was racing this week for the first time in more than a year after taking time out of the sport for the birth of her daughter, is determined to book a spot in Tokyo at what would be her fifth Olympics.
"I want to be back in the Olympics," Felix told reporters.
"I want that more than anything. I want to go out on my terms. A little sacrifice here and there and it will be worth it."
Felix's time on Saturday of 51.94 sec was well ..
