Allyson Felix reacts to Naomi Osaka's heartwarming message on post-pregnancy challenges

By Animesh Pandey

Modified Oct 27, 2024 05:52 GMT

Former Olympic champion and sprinting legend Allyson Felix has come out in support of tennis champion Naomi Osaka. The Japanese tennis player recently spoke about her challenges after pregnancy and how she overcame them.

The 27-year-old announced her pregnancy in early 2023 and gave birth to her daughter Shai later that year.

Osaka shared a couple of photographs before and after the pregnancy on her Instagram, where she mentioned how tough it was for her to get back in shape. In her words,

"Honestly I don’t really know what to caption this post. I wanted to say “body changes throughout the year” but it actually means a lot more to me than that. There were moments this year where I felt really ashamed of my body, (for example when I had to wear form fitting tennis clothes lol). I was also constantly struggling with this overwhelming urge to “snapback”, seeing other mom’s seemingly shrink immediately after having their baby was an expectation I began to put on myself."

Felix came out in Osaka's support. She posted in the comments section,

"I definitely can relate to your journey. Thanks for sharing it so that others can feel seen."

Allyson Felix's comment on Naomi Osaka's Instagram post [Image Source : Naomi Osaka's Instagram]

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Allyson Felix on embracing motherhood

Allyson Felix on embracing motherhood and the transformation [Image for Representational Purposes] [Image Source : Getty]

Allyson Felix embraced motherhood for the second time in April 2024. She gave birth to a baby boy, who was later named Kenneth Maurice Ferguson III. Previously, Felix had given birth to a baby girl, Camryn in late 2018.

In an interview with Glamour, Felix opened up on how motherhood transformed her completely.

“Motherhood does change you. But it doesn’t end you. You become a new version of yourself. And I think a lot of times we’re scared to lose ourselves. But the evolution of the self is very beautiful," she said.

Felix also recounted in another interview how she hesitated to embrace motherhood when she gave birth to Camryn in November 2018.

"Five years ago I was hiding my pregnancy, training in the dark and rarely leaving the house in hopes of securing a new contract, so I wouldn’t have to choose between motherhood and the profession I loved. I felt robbed of the experience," added Felix.

Allyson Felix has been a strong advocate of good maternal care. When she participated for the last time at Tokyo Olympics, she partnered with Women's Sports Foundation and Athleta to provide childcare grants to the concerned female athletes at the Tokyo Olympics.

Even after her retirement in 2022, Felix continues to contribute in this direction. At the Paris Olympics, the sprinting legend unveiled the first Olympic nursery, which provided exclusive childcare facilities to the concerned female athletes.