Fred Kerley places seventh in 400m final at IAAF World Championships

LONDON – Three Aggies were in action on Tuesday evening at London Stadium for the fifth day of the IAAF World Championships. Fred Kerley raced in the 400m final, Shamier Little squared off in the semifinal of the 400m hurdles and Simone Facey contested the opening round of the 200m.
 
As the lone American in the men's 400m final, Kerley had a tough chore from lane 2 as he placed seventh in 45.23. Only seven runners lined up for the final when Isaac Makwala of Botswana wasn't allowed to race due to a medical condition.
 
Wayde Van Niekerk, the defending world champion and 2016 Olympic champion, dominated the race with a winning time of 43.98. Steven Gardiner of Bahamas claimed silver in 44.41 as Qatar's Abdalelah Haroun posted a 44.48 for bronze.
 
In fourth place with a 44.66 was Botswana's Baboloki Thebe, followed by a pair of Jamaicans – Nathon Allen (44.88) and Demish Gaye (45.04).
 
"I really just needed to do my same race plan, there wasn't any more to it," said Kerley, who was in fifth place coming off the final curve. "I just didn't race like I wanted to. It's been a great experience being at the World Championships and I know I can do more moving forward."
 
In the opening round of the women's 200m, Facey eased to a 22.98 runner-up finish behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas, the 2016 Olympic 400m champion. Miller-Uibo, who is running the in the 400m final on Wednesday, claimed the heat in 22.69. Netherland's Dafne Schippers, the defending world champion, led the qualifying round with a 22.63.
 
Facey has advanced to the semifinals in the 100m and 200m at this World Championships event. Prospects of making the final in the 200m, her favorite event, will center on how well Facey establishes herself through the curve in the semifinal round, where she will race in the second heat on Thursday from lane 6 with Miller-Uibo in lane 7.
 
"I'm pleased with the first round," said Facey, who equaled ninth fastest time in the opening round. "I think I ran a great curve, probably the best one I've run this season. My goal was to come out here and use less energy in getting to the next round. I felt more comfortable and confident in the 200 after racing in the 100 over the weekend.
 
"I will need to finish faster in the semifinal. I know I'm going to run a great curve, so I'll have to build and maintain whatever I get from the momentum of the curve and carry it to the finish."
 
A silver medalist at the 2015 World Championships, Little's performance in the semifinal stage of the 400m hurdles had her placing fourth with a time of 55.76, which didn't advance her to the final.
 
Defending world champion Zuzana Hejnova of Czech Republic won Little's semifinal heat in 54.59 with American Kori Carter runner-up at 54.92 while South Africa's Wenda Nel finished third in 55.70.
 
Heat winners included Jamaica's Ristananna Tracey (54.79), Lee Sprunger of Switzerland (54.82), American Dalilah Muhammad (55.00) and Sage Watson of Canada (55.05). The time qualifiers advancing to the final included American Casandra Tate (55.31) and Eilidh Doyle of Great Britain (55.33).
 
2017 IAAF World Championships – Schedule for Texas A&M Athletes
(London time listed first, followed by Central time)
 
Wednesday, August 9
      8:55 p.m.      2:55 p.m.            M 200m    Semi              Ameer Webb
 
Thursday, August 10
      8:35 p.m.      2:35 p.m.          M Javelin    Qual B           Ioannis Kyriazis
      9:05 p.m.      3:05 p.m.           W 200m    Semi              Simone Facey
      9:50 p.m.      3:50 p.m.            M 200m    FINAL            (Ameer Webb)