LONDON, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- American Phyllis Francis won her first major individual title as she took the women's 400 meters gold at the World Athletics Championships here on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old clocked a personal best of 49.92 seconds for the gold. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain took silver in 50.06 and American super star Allyson Felix, who had won nine World Championship gold medals, finished third in 50.08.

Francis, who won the relay gold in last year's Rio Olympics, was surprised to win the gold.

"It is amazing," she said. "I am so excited. it is such an amazing feeling. Being world champion sounds pretty cool. This win has not hit me yet, but I guess tomorrow when I will wake up.

"At the finish line I was surprised, I thought I was second or third, but then they told me 'you are first'. That is crazy."

Felix, 31, also a winner of six Olympic golds, managed to equal the rocord of 14 World Championship medals shared by fellow sprinters Usain Bolt and Merlene Ottey.