OSAKA, Japan -- Former LSU national champion Walter Davis fell just short of defending his world outdoor title in the triple jump Monday but stepped onto the podium as this year’s bronze medalist in the event at the 2007 IAAF World Championships.
Davis, who won a gold medal in the event at the World Championships two years ago in Helsinki, Finland, took home the bronze for the United States with a mark of 56 feet, 10 ¼ inches on his first attempt in Monday’s final.
Nelson Evora of Portugal is now the reigning world champion and gold medalist after hitting a mark of 58-2 ½ on his third jump, while Jadel Gregorio brought home the silver medal for his native Brazil after posting a mark of 57-8 ½ on his fifth attempt in the final.
Davis, a six-time NCAA champion and nine-time All-American in his career at LSU from 2001-02, is the latest American to step onto the awards stand at this year’s World Championships as the United States holds a dominating lead in the medal count with seven, including two gold, two silver and three bronze. Ethiopia follows in second with three medals.
Lady Tiger great Lolo Jones of the United States and sophomore All-American Nickiesha Wilson of Jamaica have also put themselves in a position to win a medal in their debut at the World Championships after qualifying for the semifinal round of their respective events on Monday.
Jones qualified automatically for the semifinal of the 100-meter hurdles by crossing the finish line third in her preliminary heat with a time of 12.86 seconds. Wilson, who was the NCAA runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles during the collegiate season, advanced to the semifinal of the event by placing second in her heat with a time of 55.15.
A trio of former LSU standouts saw their World Championship run come to an end on Sunday as Hazel-Ann Regis of Grenada fell short in the first round of qualifying of the 400 meters, while Isa Phillips of Jamaica and Marian Burnett of Guyana bowed out in the semifinal of the 400 hurdles and 800 meters, respectively