Iris Davis
American sprinter (1950–2021)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Iris LaVerne Davis-Hicks (April 30, 1950 – September 18, 2021)[1] was an American track and field sprinter who specialized in the 100-meter dash. She was the 1971 Pan American Games champion in that event and also won a gold medal in the 4 × 100-meter relay.[2] She represented the United States at the 1972 Munich Olympics and twice narrowly missed out on a medal: first in the 100 m, placing fourth behind Cuba's Silvia Chivás, then in the relay, where Chivás again outsprinted her to bronze on the final leg.[3]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women's athletics | ||
Representing the  United States | ||
| Pan American Games | ||
 | 1971 Cali | 100 m |
| 1971 Cali | 4 × 100 m relay |
Davis was born in an African-American family in Pompano Beach, Florida.[3] Nationally she was a four-time champion: twice in the 100 m (1971, 1973) and twice in the 60-meter dash (1972, 1973). She was runner-up in the 100-yard dash in 1969 and 1970, and also had top three placings in the 100 m at the 1972 Olympic trials and the 1972 outdoor championships.[4][5][6]
She was a member of the Tigerbelles collegiate team for Tennessee State University, which had a strong history of women's sprinting including double Olympic champion Wyomia Tyus.[7]
International competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Pan American Games | Cali, Colombia | 1st | 100 m | 11.25w |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 44.59 | |||
| 1972 | Olympic Games | Munich, Germany | 4th | 100 m | 11.32 |
| 4th | 4 × 100 m relay | 43.39 |
National titles
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- 100 m: 1971, 1973
- USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
- 60 m: 1972, 1973