Iris Davis

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]

Iris Davis

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

See also

• List of 100 metres national champions (women)