Alysia Montaño facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alysia Montaño

Montaño at the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Athletics.
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1986-04-23) April 23, 1986 (age 39) Queens, New York
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Sport
Sport	Running
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	400m: 52.09 800m: 1:57.34
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  United States Summer Olympics Bronze 2012 London 800 m World Championships Bronze 2011 Daegu 800 m Bronze 2013 Moscow 800 m World Indoor Championships Bronze 2010 Doha 800 m World Relay Championships Gold 2015 Nassau 4 × 800 m relay Pan American Games Gold 2015 Toronto 4 × 400 relay Silver 2015 Toronto 800 m

Alysia Montaño (born April 23, 1986) is an American runner who specializes in middle distance races. She is famous for her strong performances in the 800 metres race. Alysia has won the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships six times. She also gained a lot of attention for competing in a race while she was eight months pregnant!

Alysia Montaño's Running Journey

Alysia Johnson, as she was known before marriage, moved from New York to California when she was three years old. Growing up, she enjoyed playing soccer and running cross country in high school. She attended Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California.

High School and College Success

In 2004, Alysia won the 800 meters at the CIF California State Meet, which is a big achievement for high school athletes. She was ranked among the top high school runners in the nation that year. After high school, she went to the University of California, Berkeley. She kept getting better at running there.

By 2006, she placed third at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 2007, she became a national star by winning both the indoor and outdoor NCAA Championships. This was also when she first ran the 800 meters in under two minutes, which is very fast!

Becoming a National Champion

Alysia won her first national title in the 800 meters at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She continued to compete in major events around the world.

In 2010, Alysia won her first international medal, a bronze, at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in the 800 meters. She set a new personal best time there. She won the 800 meters national title again in 2010 and 2011.

World Championships and Olympic Games

At the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Alysia originally finished fourth. However, due to later disqualifications of other athletes for unfair practices, she was awarded a bronze medal. She received this medal at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Qatar.

Alysia competed in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. She led for much of the 800-meter race. She finished fifth, but later, two athletes who finished ahead of her were disqualified for unfair practices. This meant Alysia was moved up to third place, earning her an Olympic bronze medal! She plans to receive this medal at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In 2013, Alysia set a new American Indoor Record in the 600 meters race. She also helped her team set an American Outdoor Record in the 4 × 800 meters relay. At the 2013 World Championships, she again finished fourth. Just like in 2011 and 2012, an athlete who finished ahead of her was later disqualified. This earned Alysia another bronze medal.

Later Career Highlights

In 2015, Alysia won a silver medal in the 800 meters at the Pan American Games. She also won a gold medal as part of the 4 × 400 meters relay team at the same event.

Alysia tried to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics but unfortunately fell during the final race at the USA Olympic trials.

Racing While Pregnant: An Inspiration

Alysia Montaño became widely known in June 2014 for something truly amazing. She competed in the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships while she was eight months pregnant! She finished the 800 meters race, showing incredible strength and determination.

She gave birth to her daughter, Linnea Dori Montaño, on August 15, 2014. Just one year later, in June 2015, Alysia returned to racing. She won the 800 meters final at the US Trials and qualified for the 2015 World Athletics Championships. Her story inspired many people around the world.

Alysia Montaño's Best Times

Alysia has achieved impressive personal best times in her running career:

See also

In Spanish: Alysia Montaño para niños