The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
07.24.2015 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Current Longhorn shines on world stage
TORONTO, Canada – Kendall Baisden will be a junior this fall for the Texas Longhorns and already the track and field star has won a gold medal on the global stage in each of her first two. Her most recent victory came Thursday night in Toronto at the Pan American Games where she dominated the field in the 400 meters.
Baisden crossed the line in 51.27 seconds to defeat her Team USA teammate Shakima Wimbley's time of 51.36. Baisden posted the fastest time in the semifinals by nearly half a second as well to prove she is going to be a force for Team USA in the future.
Last year, Baisden won two gold medals for Team USA at the IAAF World Junior Championships taking first in the 400 meters and running on the victorious 4x400 meter relay team. She has emerged as one of the premier young runners in her event in the world, and Texas Head Coach Mario Sategna believes this is just the beginning from the speedster from Detroit.
"After winning last year's world junior championship and this year's Pan Am gold, Kendall is getting tremendous experience heading into the Olympic year," Sategna said. "Great things are on the horizon and all of this is well deserved based on her tremendous work ethic."
The win at the Pan Am Games caps off a successful sophomore season for Baisden. She helped the Longhorns win the Big 12 Conference Championship indoors and out winning the 400 meters title indoors and running on championship 4x400 relays for the Longhorns. Outdoors, Baisden was runner-up at the NCAA Championships and finished seventh at the USATF Championships where she ran against professionals who will represent Team USA at the IAAF World Championships later this summer.
Track and field action at the Pan Am Games continue from Toronto through Sunday. Former Longhorn Kyle Merber is set to run the final of the men's 1,500 meters on Friday evening and rising senior Morolake Akinosun is in Team USA's pool of runners eligible to run the 4x100 relay semifinals tonight.
