Alysia Johnson Montaño

Alysia Montaño

Montaño at the 2010 World Indoor Championships in Athletics.
Personal information
Nationality	American
Born	(1986-04-23) April 23, 1986 (age 30) 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 the  United States World Championships 2011 Daegu 800 m 2013 Moscow 800 m World Indoor Championships 2010 Doha 800 m World Relay Championships 2015 Nassau 4×800 m relay Pan American Games 2015 Toronto 4x400 relay 2015 Toronto 800 m

400m: 52.09

Alysia Montaño (née Johnson) (born April 23, 1986) is an American middle distance runner. She is a six-time USA Outdoor champion 2007 (1:59.47), 2010 (1:59.87), 2011 (1:58.33); 2012 (1:59.08); 2013 (1:58.67); 2015 (1:59.15). She perhaps gained more notoriety for the 2014 race that she did not win. In fact, she finished dead last in the field, running 2:32.13 while 8 months pregnant. She has represented the United States at numerous international championships including the 2012 Olympics. She distinguishes herself by wearing a flower in her hair while running, a personal affectation she adopted to assert her femininity while training with men.

“My life philosophy has been to be bold and courageous"

On the international level she has exhibited a bold, front running style, challenging other runners to keep up with her.

At the 2012 Olympics, Montaño finished in fifth place. In November 2015, the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended two Russian women who finished in first and third be given lifetime bans for their doping violations at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has not yet issued any disqualifications. If the IOC does disqualify the two athletes and advances the other finishers, Montaño could be awarded the bronze medal.

Alysia Johnson moved to California from New York at 3 years old. She played Soccer through high school and plays for fun as cross training as a professional.

As Alysia Johnson, she had a spectacular career at Canyon High School in Santa Clarita, California, culminating in winning the 800 meters at the CIF California State Meet in 2004. That year she was ranked #10 in the nation and finished fourth at the Golden West Invitational, a meet that proclaims itself to be a National championship of High School Track and Field.