LOS ANGELES - The Rio Olympics athletics programme has been modified slightly in a move that will allow American Allyson Felix to attempt a 200m-400m double, the International Association of Athletics Federations said Saturday.
American Allyson Felix celebrates on the podium during the victory ceremony for the women's 400 metres athletics event at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing on August 28, 2015
In a release posted on global federation's website, the IAAF said the International Olympic Committee and Rio Games organizers had agreed to implement "a minor swap between the women's 200m and 400m hurdles on 15 August."
Under the new schedule, the first round of the women's 200m, which was formerly in the evening, will be held in the morning, switching places with the 400m hurdles first round.
The moves means Felix, the Olympic 200m gold medalist and 400m world champion, will now have more than 13 hours between races -- rather than little more than an hour between an opening 200m heat and the 400m final.
"This change to the timetable makes it more feasible for women to compete in both the 200m and 400m at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games," the IAAF said.
Felix's coach, Bobby Kersee, welcomed the change in comments posted by USA Track and Field on Twitter.
"We'd like to thank the IOC, IAAF and USATF for their successful efforts to change the schedule to allow for a women's 200-400 double," Kersee said.
"Being able to pursue the double has been a goal of Allyson Felix's since she entered the sport," Kersee added, thanking USATF for lobbying for the change and the IAAF for considering the possibility.
Felix, 30, now has a chance to join American Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984 and France's Marie-Jose Perce in 1996 as the only women to complete an Olympic 200-400 double.