15 Aggies representing nine countries will compete in the 16^th IAAF World Championships in London from Aug. 4 through Aug. 13. The competition is being hosted at London Stadium, the same venue that saw the Olympic Games in 2012.
Aggies competing for the United States include Aaliyah Brown (4×100 relay pool), Donavan Brazier (800m), Fred Kerley (400m, 4×400 relay pool), Shamier Little (400m Hurdles), and Ameer Webb (200m).
Three Aggies are coming off U.S. titles this season. Kerley claimed the 400m title, while Brazier and Webb each won the 800m and 200m, respectively.
Kerley went undefeated in the 400m this season, including setting a new collegiate record of 43.70 at the NCAA West Prelims in Austin. He also swept the 400m titles at the outdoor and indoor SEC and NCAA Championships and went on to win the title at the USATF Championships in June.
Also at the USATF Championships, Brazier won the 800m title with a time of 1:44.14, while Webb ran a season best 20.09 into a 2.3 headwind to claim the 200m title.
Lindon Victor will represent Grenada in the decathlon and currently holds the national record and fourth best score in the world this year. Victor broke the collegiate record twice this season, first at the Texas Relays (8,472) and again at the SEC Championships (8,539). Victor will see a similar international field that he experienced last year at the Rio Olympics.
“I’m excited, and I think I’ll be better than I was last year in Rio,” Victor said to 12thMan.com. “I’ve learned a lot this season and hopefully I can get one more good decathlon out of my body. Being the collegiate record holder, I feel like I’m heading into the World Championships representing all of the decathletes in college. I’ve proven myself on the collegiate level, now it’s time to prove myself on the professional circuit.”
Victor will also be competing alongside his brother, Kurt Felix.
“It’s always fun competing with my brother, Victor added. “He’s had a healthy season and I’m excited to see what he is going to produce in London. Hopefully, he can help me step up my game a little bit. If both of us are on the podium that will really be awesome.”
Ioannis Kyriazis is representing Greece in the javelin and is coming off a collegiate season in which he won his third SEC title and first NCAA Championship. He currently holds the sixth best throw in 2017 with a distance of 88.01.
Other international Aggies include Fabrice Lapierre (Australia, long jump), Shavez Hart (Bahamas, 4×100 relay pool), Michael Bryan (Germany, 4×100 relay pool), Bralon Taplin (Grenada, 400m), Kadecia Baird (Guyana, 200m), Brenessa Thompson (Guyana, 100m, 200m), Simone Facey (Jamaica, 100m, 200m, 4×100 relay pool), and Jennifer Madu (Nigeria, 100m, 4×100 relay pool).
The Championships will be broadcast on NBC and NBC Sports Network every day of competition.