At age 18, Allyson Felix competed in her first Olympics (the 2004 Summer Games in Athens) and, this year at the London Games, made her way to the top of the medal stand three times to accept the gold for the USA. A teenage sprint prodigy, the Los Angeles native fell in love with the sport at age 14. She excelled from the start and turned pro after high school—giving up NCAA eligibility while attending the University of Southern California. Felix is the U.S. Olympic Committee's 2011-2012 SportsWoman of the Year and a three-time recipient of the Jesse Owens Award, the USA Track & Field's highest accolade.