LONDON, England – Kori Carter '14 is a world champion.
The Stanford alum captured the women's 400-meter hurdles at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships on Thursday, pulling away down the stretch to win in 53.07 at the Olympic Stadium. It was the fastest time ever out of lane nine.
Carter, running for the United States, joined Stanford teammate Katerina Stefanidi as gold medalists. Stefanidi of Greece won the women's pole vault on Sunday. They were Stanford teammates in 2011 and 2012.
Carter ended her Stanford career in 2013 with a collegiate record in winning at the NCAA Championships. She won the 2014 U.S. title and made the world team in 2015. Last year, Carter dived to the finish at the 2016 Olympic trials, but missed the Olympic team by one spot.
With Dalilah Muhammad winning Olympic gold in Rio, Carter was somewhat overlooked among possible contenders for the world crown. She was third at the U.S. Championships, but clearly in the best shape of her life. Her stutter on the final hurdle in the semifinals Tuesday cost her time and forced her to take the to the blocks in lane nine for the final. But the self-described Kori Monster was undeterred.
"Our whole goal this year was gold," Carter said. "That was our focus. That's what we were committed to. I was dreaming about crossing the line first. Believing you can do it is the first step to making it happen."
Carter had the fastest reaction time out of the blocks and though she couldn't see the field behind her because of the staggered lanes, she was slightly behind Muhammad at 200. As they came off the final turn, they were even, with Muhammad in a preferred middle lane and Carter on the outside.
Carter gained a half-step off the ninth hurdle and began pulling ahead, with a clear advantage off the final hurdle. As Carter leaned at the finish line, she looked to her left and saw no one. The victory was hers.
Carter pumped her fist twice and crouched to the track, finally cracking a smile. World champ indeed.
"I'm so happy right now," she said. "When you work so hard for something and sacrifice so much, and for it all to pay off in the end … it's such a surreal experience."
Just trying to be like you Greek Goddess!
— Kori Carter (@TheKoriMonster) August 10, 2017
The 2012 Stanford women's track and field team: Who would have imagined two future world champs in the front row? Katerina Stefanidi is fifth from left and Kori Carter is fourth from the right.