Gold for Davis-Woodhall, Silver for Cockrell, Hiltz in 1,500m final

SAINT-DENIS, France – Gold and silver medals were claimed by a pair of athletes who train in Fayetteville on Thursday at Stade de France as Tara Davis-Woodhall won the long jump and Anna Cockrell finished second in the 400m hurdles.

Arkansas alum Nikki Hiltz advanced to Saturday’s 1,500m final with a 3:56.17 in the semifinals. Taliyah Brooks is in sixth place after the first day of the heptathlon.

Davis-Woodhall defeated the defending Olympic champion for the long jump gold. Reaching a distance of 23-3.5 (7.10) enabled Davis-Woodhall to better the 22-10.75 (6.98) effort of Germany’s Malaika Mihambo. American Jasmine Moore placed third with a leap of 22-10 (6.96), matching her bronze medal performance in the triple jump.

The series for Davis-Woodhall, who became the third different American winner in the past four Olympic Games, included marks of 22-9 (6.93), 23-1.75 (7.05), 22-9.75 (6.95), 23-3.5 (7.10), 21-8.25 (6.61), and 21-11 (6.68).

Cockrell faced defending Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone in the 400m hurdles final. The world record was lowered to 50.37 as McLaughlin-Levrone defended her title.

In finishing second, Cockrell improved her career best to 51.87 from the 52.64 she posted at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Netherland’s Femke Bol placed third in 52.15. The time by Cockrell is the No. 3 performer, No. 5 performance on the all-time world list.

Bol led Cockrell in touching down after hurdle 9, but the edge went to Cockrell at hurdle 10 with Cockrell touching down first.

The 400m hurdle final had American Jasmine Jones in fourth with a career best of 52.29 while Jamaica’s tandem of Rushelle Clayton (52.68) and Shiann Salmon (53.29) in fifth and sixth place.

Hiltz finished third in the second semifinal heat behind Ethiopia’s Diribe Welteji (3:55.10) and Australia’s Jessica Hull (3:55.40). The first six in each heat advanced to the 12-person final.

Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon won the other semifinal in 3:58.64 over Georgia Bell of Great Britain (3:59.49) and American Elle St. Pierre (3:59.74).

Brooks scored 3,810 point off a 13.00 (1,124) in the 100m hurdles, 5-9.75 (1.77) in the high jump (941), 44-6.75 (13.58) in the shot put (766), and closed out day 1 with a 24.02 (979) in the 200m.

The first day leader at 4,055 points is Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain. Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam is in second at 4,007 while American Anna Hall is third with 3,956.