Alysia Montano, who has competed in the Olympics and been crowned US champion five times, ran the 800 meters at Wednesday's Track and Field Championships.

The thing that set her apart from the other competitors? The fact that she's 34 weeks pregnant…

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After receiving the OK from her doctors, Alysia ran the 800 metres, coming last in the race.

Facing questions from reporters after she finished the race, Alysia had to defend her decision to take part in the competition.

'More than anything I wanted to be here' she said. 'This is my first pregnancy and I had a lot of questions for my doctor…my midwife's and my doctor's were so encouraging.'

She added that all the medical professionals she spoke to said it would be healthier for her to keep running whilst she was pregnant, and that her body is different than women who do not compete in professional athletics.

'I didn't want to be judged or have any ill things said about me….[but] to see the crowd behind me…I feel a little bit choked up about it.'

'We see so many people in different avenues in their life start their family and it looks so different than it does for a professional athlete' she added.

'This is what it looks like to be a professional athlete as a woman and still continue on as your career.'

Alysia added that she competed in the race because she wanted to show people how powerful the female body is.

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Do you think Alysia should have competed despite being heavily pregnant?