LOS ANGELES – Allyson Felix has won gold medals in sold-out Olympic stadiums, and the retired track star said she felt "the magic'' when she attended the recent women's Final Four.
While ESPN reported record TV ratings, Felix watched in person at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, where LSU beat Iowa, 102-85, for the NCAA women's basketball championship .
"I think it's a special moment for women's sports,'' Felix told USA TODAY Sports on Monday. "I had so much fun at the Final Four. I think it was so cool to see all of the energy and excitement.
"I looked around and I saw the signs, the young girls and just the diversity in the fans, and I think the world got a glimpse of what many of us have known for a long time, how exciting women's sports are.''
Felix addressed the state of women's sports after a dedication ceremony at Southern California during which the school named its track field in her honor. A graduate of USC, Felix attended the event with her husband, daughter, brother and parents.
During her remarks to the crowd, Felix said she began to think about her legacy in recent years. She advocates for women's rights and clearly takes an interest in what's happening with women's sports after a surge in interest around the women's Final Four.
"I think it's going to take time,'' she said. "But I think with women's basketball, we saw it on the collegiate level, now we've got to get that energy on the professional side. We've got to transcend a lot of different sports. But I think there's momentum there.''
MORE: 'Allyson Felix Race for Change' offers glimpse into next stage of Olympian's life
MORE: Allyson Felix on Roe v. Wade being overturned
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix says women's sports has 'momentum'
