That she did so amid a rigorous stretch of training showed her mental fortitude, Kersee said.

WSJ: Allyson Felix's Olympic Hedge

Kersee said Felix made several tactical errors on her way to a second-place finish.

WSJ: Allyson Felix's Olympic Hedge

Brisco-Hooks, who now coaches Felix alongside Bob Kersee, recalled how badly her back tightened up between heats.

WSJ: Allyson Felix's Olympic Hedge

Kersee was encouraged by her performance at February's indoor meet in Fayetteville, Ark.

WSJ: Allyson Felix's Olympic Hedge

Kersee has designed Felix's training to improve her burst out of the starting blocks, her conditioning and her top-end speed.

WSJ: Allyson Felix's Olympic Hedge

Joyner-Kersee, now 50, won six medals, including three golds, in the heptathlon and long jump, over four Olympics, from 1982 through 1996.

FORBES: Olympic Legends Jackie Joyner-Kersee And Bobby Kersee Face New Tax Troubles

One of the most famous female athletes in the country, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, credits Title IX, a 1972 law barring discrimination in school sports, for creating equal opportunities for girls.

CNN: Women's athletics a battle for respect

Kersee also coaches Jeneba Tarmoh, who tied with Felix for a spot on the US. Team in the 100, but decided to drop out rather than compete in a run-off.

FORBES: Olympic Legends Jackie Joyner-Kersee And Bobby Kersee Face New Tax Troubles

Bobby Kersee continues to coach Olympic-caliber athletes, including Dawn Harper, who today won silver in the 100 meter hurdles race, after winning gold in that event in Beijing in 2008, and Allyson Felix, who ran 5th in the 100-meter sprint in London and will compete in the finals of the 200-meter race, her best event, tomorrow.

FORBES: Olympic Legends Jackie Joyner-Kersee And Bobby Kersee Face New Tax Troubles