Iris Davis

American sprinter (1950–2021)

Iris Davis
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the United States
Pan American Games
	1971 Cali	100 m
	1971 Cali	4 × 100 m relay

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]

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
1971	Pan American Games	Cali, Colombia	1st	4 × 100 m relay	44.59
1972	Olympic Games	Munich, Germany	4th	100 m	11.32
1972	Olympic Games	Munich, Germany	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

References

^ Iris Davis' obituary
^ Pan American Games. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-02-14.
^ ^a ^b Iris Davis Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine. Sports Reference. Retrieved on 2016-02-14.
^ Iris Davis. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2016-02-14.
^ USA Championships Women Indoor. GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-02-14.
^ United States Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved on 2016-02-14.
^ Tigerbelles to host 2nd Annual Homecoming Reunion, Announces 2009-10 Schedule. TSUTigers (2009-11-06). Retrieved on 2016-02-14.

Pan American Champions in women's 100 metres

v t e US National Championship winners in women's 100-meter dash
1923–1979 Amateur Athletic Union	1923–1924: Frances Ruppert 1925: Helen Filkey 1926: Rosa Grosse 1927–1928^OT: Elta Cartwright 1929: Betty Robinson 1930: Stella Walsh 1931: Eleanor Egg 1932^OT: Wilhelmina von Bremen 1933: Annette Rogers 1934: not held 1935–1936: Helen Stephens 1937: Claire Isicson 1938: Lula Hymes 1939: Olive Hasenfus 1940–1941: Jean Lane 1942: Alice Coachman 1943–1944: Stella Walsh 1945–1946: Alice Coachman 1947: Juanita Watson 1948: Stella Walsh 1949–1950: Jean Patton 1951: Mary McNabb 1952: Catherine Hardy 1953–1954: Barbara Jones 1955–1956: Mae Faggs 1957: Barbara Jones 1958: Margaret Matthews 1959–1962: Wilma Rudolph 1963: Edith McGuire 1964–1966: Wyomia Tyus 1967: Barbara Ferrell 1968: Margaret Bailes 1969: Barbara Ferrell 1970: Chi Cheng (TWN) * Iris Davis 1971: Iris Davis 1972: Alice Annum (GHA) * (3) Iris Davis 1973: Iris Davis 1974: Renaye Bowen 1975: Rosalyn Bryant 1976: Chandra Cheeseborough 1977: Evelyn Ashford 1978: Leleith Hodges (JAM) * Brenda Morehead 1979: Evelyn Ashford
1980–1992 The Athletics Congress	1980: Alice Brown 1981–1983: Evelyn Ashford 1984 Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Alice Brown 1985: Merlene Ottey (JAM) * Pam Marshall 1986: Pam Marshall 1987: Diane Williams 1988: Sheila Echols 1989: Dawn Sowell 1990: Michelle Finn 1991: Carlette Guidry 1992^OT: Gwen Torrence
1993–present USA Track & Field	1993–1994: Gail Devers 1995–1996^OT: Gwen Torrence 1997–1998: Marion Jones 1999: Inger Miller 2000^OT: Marion Jones 2001–2002: Chryste Gaines 2003: Torri Edwards 2004^OT: LaTasha Colander 2005: Me'Lisa Barber 2006: Lauryn Williams 2007: Torri Edwards 2008^OT: Muna Lee 2009: Carmelita Jeter 2010: Allyson Felix 2011–2012^OT: Carmelita Jeter 2013: English Gardner 2014: Tianna Bartoletta 2015: Tori Bowie 2016^OT: English Gardner 2017: Tori Bowie 2018: Aleia Hobbs 2019: Teahna Daniels 2021^{2020 OT}: Javianne Oliver
Notes	OT: 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event. 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Distance: The event was over 100 yards until 1927; from 1929 to 1931, 1955, 1957 to 1958, 1961 to 1962, 1965 to 1966, 1969 to 1970 and 1973 to 1974.

v t e US National Championship winners in women's 60-meter dash
1927–1979 Amateur Athletic Union	1927: Rosa Grosse (CAN) 1928: Katherine Mearls 1929–32: Mary Carew 1933: Pearl Young 1934: Stanisława Walasiewicz (POL) 1935–37: Helen Stephens 1938–40: Not held 1941: Jean Lane 1942–44: Not held 1945–46: Alice Coachman 1947: Not held 1948: Juanita Watson 1949–50: Dolores Dwyer 1951: Catherine Hardy 1952: Dolores Dwyer 1953–54: Mabel Landry 1955–58: Isabelle Daniels 1959–60: Wilma Rudolph 1961–63: Willye White 1964: Debbie Thompson 1965–67: Wyomia Tyus 1968–69: Barbara Ferrell 1970: Chi Cheng (TPE) 1971: Pat Hawkins 1972–73: Iris Davis 1974: Theresa Montgomery 1975: Alice Annum (GHA) 1976: Lisa Hopkins 1977–78: Brenda Morehead 1979: Evelyn Ashford
1980–1992 The Athletics Congress	1980–83: Evelyn Ashford 1984–85: Alice Brown 1986: Jeanette Bolden 1987: Anelia Nuneva (BUL) 1988: Evelyn Ashford & Gwen Torrence 1989: Gwen Torrence 1990–92: Michelle Finn
1993–present USA Track & Field	1993: Gail Devers 1994–96: Gwen Torrence 1997: Gail Devers 1998: Christy Opara-Thompson (NGR) 1999: Gail Devers 2000: Carlette Guidry-White 2001–02: Chryste Gaines 2003: Angela Williams 2004: Gail Devers 2005: Angela Daigle 2006: Me'Lisa Barber 2007: Hasani Roseby 2008: Angela Williams 2009: Me'Lisa Barber 2010: Carmelita Jeter 2011: Alexandria Anderson 2012: Tianna Madison 2013: Barbara Pierre 2014–15: Tianna Bartoletta 2016: Barbara Pierre 2017: Morolake Akinosun 2018: Javianne Oliver 2019: Shania Collins 2020: Mikiah Brisco
Notes	*Distances have varied as follows: 40 yards (1927–32), 50 meters (1933–54), 50 yards (1956–64), 60 yards (1965–86), 55 meters (1987–90)

v t e 1972 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification	1972 United States Olympic trials (track and field)
Men's track and road athletes	Jon Anderson Jack Bacheler Larry Black Doug Brown Dick Bruggeman Larry Burton Wayne Collett Willie Davenport Tom Dooley Jeff Galloway Eddie Hart Steve Hayden Thomas Hill Leonard Hilton Goetz Klopfer Mike Manley Ralph Mann Vincent Matthews Rod Milburn Kenny Moore Steve Prefontaine Rey Robinson Jim Ryun Steve Savage Jim Seymour Frank Shorter Chuck Smith John Smith Ken Swenson Robert Taylor Gerald Tinker (r) William Weigle Bob Wheeler Rick Wohlhuter Dave Wottle George Young Larry Young
Men's field athletes	Jeff Bannister Jeff Bennett Preston Carrington John Craft Chris Dunn Al Feuerbach George Frenn Tom Gage Bruce Jenner Jan Johnson Ron Jourdan Fred Luke Brian Oldfield John Powell Arnie Robinson Bill Schmidt Al Schoterman Bob Seagren Jay Silvester Dave Smith Steve Smith Milt Sonsky Dwight Stones Tim Vollmer Art Walker Randy Williams George Woods
Women's track athletes	Iris Davis Debra Edwards Mable Fergerson Barbara Ferrell Pam Greene Kathy Hammond Patty Johnson Wendy Koenig Francie Kraker Francie Larrieu Madeline Manning Mildrette Netter (r) Lacey O'Neal Mamie Rallins Mattiline Render Jackie Thompson Cheryl Toussaint Martha Watson
Women's field athletes	Kim Attlesey Roberta Brown Sherry Calvert Olga Connolly Gale Fitzgerald Jane Frederick Cindy Gilbert Sandi Goldsberry Kate Schmidt Maren Seidler Jan Svendsen Martha Watson Deanne Wilson Willye White
Coaches	Bill Bowerman (men's head coach) Ted Haydon (men's assistant coach) Hoover Wright (men's assistant coach) Stan Wright (men's assistant coach) Nell Jackson (women's head coach) Randall Lambert (women's assistant coach) Ron Sorkness (women's assistant coach)