Photo by: Kirby Lee
Francis Wins World Title With Final Kick
08/09/17 | Track and Field
PRO DUCK PHYLLIS FRANCIS USED A TREMENDOUS FINAL KICK TO COME FROM BEHIND AND WIN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 400 METERS ON WEDNESDAY AT THE IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LONDON
LONDON – Former Oregon track and field star Phyllis Francis used a tremendous final kick on Wednesday at the IAAF World Championships in London to come from behind and win the world title in the women's 400 meters at Olympic Stadium.
After advancing through the heats and the semifinals in the 400 meters, Francis lined up in lane six for Wednesday's final. Francis ran the first 300 meters of the race in the middle of the eight-runner pack, but used a thrilling kick down the homestretch to chase down leaders Allyson Felix and Shaunea Miller-Uibo and secure her first world gold medal.
Francis becomes the first female individual world champion from Oregon, and the first female from UO to win a world title since Kashia Baker helped the U.S. 4x100 relay team win gold in 2011. Overall, Francis is the first Duck to win an IAAF World title since Ashton Eaton won gold in the decathlon in 2015.
While Francis' world title will dominate the headlines for UO athletes at the World Championships, many former Ducks and one current Duck have been in action at Olympic Stadium through the first six days.
With four days remaining at the IAAF World Championships, here is a look at which UO athletes are still set to compete in London.
Thursday, Aug. 10: Pro Duck Cyrus Hostetler (USA), the lone male thrower representing UO, will open up the men's javelin in the afternoon, while Annie LeBlanc (CAN) will be in action in the 800-meter heats around 11:25 a.m. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) will be joined by Johnny Gregorek (USA) when the men's 1,500 meter heats kick off around 12:25 p.m. Centrowitz was the 2016 gold medalist in that event in Rio. Stevens will run in the women's 200 semifinals at approximately 1:05 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 11: In the afternoon session, the women's 800-meter semis (LeBlanc) are set for 11:35 a.m., while Centrowitz and Gregorek will hope to run in the 1,500 semifinals around 12:10 p.m. The women's final of the 200 meters (Stevens) will wrap up Day Eight at approximately 1:50 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 12: Both the women's and the men's 4x100 relays will take place on Day Nine, with Stevens, Washington and King all in contention to run on those squads. The initial heats will be in the morning session around 2:35 and 2:55 a.m., with the finals wrapping up the afternoon session at 1:30 and 1:50 p.m. The final of the men's javelin (Hostetler) will also be in the afternoon (12:15 p.m.).
Sunday, Aug. 13: The final day of the IAAF World Championships will feature the final of the women's 800 meters (LeBlanc, 12:10 p.m.), the final of the men's 1,500 meters (Centrowitz & Gregorek, 12:30 p.m.), as well as the final of the women's 4x400 relay (Francis, 1:15 p.m.).
After advancing through the heats and the semifinals in the 400 meters, Francis lined up in lane six for Wednesday's final. Francis ran the first 300 meters of the race in the middle of the eight-runner pack, but used a thrilling kick down the homestretch to chase down leaders Allyson Felix and Shaunea Miller-Uibo and secure her first world gold medal.
The former NCAA champion for the Ducks finished in a personal-best 49.92.It's ?? for @usatf's Phyllis Francis in the women's 400m.
— IAAF (@iaaforg) August 9, 2017
What a race to end the night on! #IAAFworlds pic.twitter.com/Ghm1GfIUN2
Francis becomes the first female individual world champion from Oregon, and the first female from UO to win a world title since Kashia Baker helped the U.S. 4x100 relay team win gold in 2011. Overall, Francis is the first Duck to win an IAAF World title since Ashton Eaton won gold in the decathlon in 2015.
Also in LondonWOW! #ProDuck Phyllis Francis with a HUGE kick down the final stretch to take home the WORLD TITLE in the 400 meters! #London2017 #GoDucks pic.twitter.com/0SpCJc0KWM
— Oregon Track & Field (@OregonTF) August 9, 2017
While Francis' world title will dominate the headlines for UO athletes at the World Championships, many former Ducks and one current Duck have been in action at Olympic Stadium through the first six days.
- Zoe Buckman (AUS) advanced out of the opening heats of the women's 1,500 meters (4:05.44), but was unable to move past the semifinals.
- Current Duck Ariana Washington (USA) and new pro Duck Deajah Stevens (USA) both made it out of the opening heats of the 100 meters before finishing seventh and eighth, respectively, in their semifinal heats.
- Stevens won her opening heat in the 200 meters in 22.90 on Tuesday to advance to Thursday's semifinals.
- Pro Ducks Devon Allen (USA) and Johnathan Cabral (USA) both advanced out of the initial heats of the 110 hurdles before failing to make it out of the semifinals. Allen was third in his semifinal heat in a solid time of 13.27 to just miss advancing, while Cabral was seventh.
- Kyree King, the 2017 Pac-12 champion in the 100 and 200 meters, was second in his 200 meter heat on Monday in 20.41, but placed fifth in his semifinal on Wednesday.
With four days remaining at the IAAF World Championships, here is a look at which UO athletes are still set to compete in London.
Thursday, Aug. 10: Pro Duck Cyrus Hostetler (USA), the lone male thrower representing UO, will open up the men's javelin in the afternoon, while Annie LeBlanc (CAN) will be in action in the 800-meter heats around 11:25 a.m. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) will be joined by Johnny Gregorek (USA) when the men's 1,500 meter heats kick off around 12:25 p.m. Centrowitz was the 2016 gold medalist in that event in Rio. Stevens will run in the women's 200 semifinals at approximately 1:05 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 11: In the afternoon session, the women's 800-meter semis (LeBlanc) are set for 11:35 a.m., while Centrowitz and Gregorek will hope to run in the 1,500 semifinals around 12:10 p.m. The women's final of the 200 meters (Stevens) will wrap up Day Eight at approximately 1:50 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 12: Both the women's and the men's 4x100 relays will take place on Day Nine, with Stevens, Washington and King all in contention to run on those squads. The initial heats will be in the morning session around 2:35 and 2:55 a.m., with the finals wrapping up the afternoon session at 1:30 and 1:50 p.m. The final of the men's javelin (Hostetler) will also be in the afternoon (12:15 p.m.).
Sunday, Aug. 13: The final day of the IAAF World Championships will feature the final of the women's 800 meters (LeBlanc, 12:10 p.m.), the final of the men's 1,500 meters (Centrowitz & Gregorek, 12:30 p.m.), as well as the final of the women's 4x400 relay (Francis, 1:15 p.m.).
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