Briana Williams’ four races over two days last weekend was a test, one that she passed with flying colours notwithstanding a minor slip of along the way.
Williams, 19, who broke her national U20 record twice between Sunday and Monday night, ran times of 11.19 and 11.01 on Sunday at the JAC Summer Open in Jacksonville, Florida. The 11.01 lowered her national u20 record of 11.02 set in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June 2019.
The record would last just over 24 hours as on Monday night at the American Track League’s Duval County Challenge inside Hodges Stadium in Jacksonville, she ran a wind-aided 10.97 and then a wind-legal 10.98 to lower the record once more.
Her coach, Ato Boldon, was pleased with everything, except Monday’s poor start, that his young charge delivered over the two days and declared afterwards that she is right where he wanted her to be four weeks from Jamaica’s National Championships to select a team to the Olympic Games in July.
“I liked the fact that she competed but it’s just strange for me to not see Briana react well to the gun. She didn’t react normally to the gun and then she panicked a little bit and stood up out of her drive phase,” he said.
“It tells me that where I thought she should be, is where she is. That was 10.87, she lost about a tenth with not having a normal Briana start.”
Looking at the bigger picture, Boldon said Williams proved that she is ready to handle multiple rounds of competition, circumstances she will face at the national championships at the end of June and at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, should she get there.
“The most important thing about this weekend is that this young lady ran 11.19, 11.01, 10.97 and 10.98 so her body can handle the work, she is ready for rounds. This was more a workout than anything else because I purposely wanted to push her,” he said.
“We will back off this week and get her ready for the last couple of races and then get her ready for trials.”
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
KC wins third straight Championship of America 4x400m title at Penn Relays; JC wins 4x800m
Kingston College made it three Championship of America 4x400m titles in a row with a comfortable win in the event on the third and final day of the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Antonio Forbes, Amal Glasgow, Roshawn Lee and Marcinho Rose combined to run 3:11.86 to win ahead of Excelsior (3:12.94) and Bullis School (3:13.10).
Elsewhere, Jamaica College won their second Championship of America 4x800m relay in three years.
Their team of Nellie Amberton, Samuel Creary, Rasheed Pryce and Kemarrio Bygrave produced a time of 7:42.37 to win ahead of St. John’s College (7:44.66) and Central Bucks West (7:45.99).
Excelsior leads Jamaican 1-2-3 in Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m at Penn Relays
Excelsior High emerged victorious in the Championship of America High School Boys 4x100m on the third and final day at the 128th Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
Their quartet of Ryeem Walker, Damor Miller, Malike Nugent and Lennon Green combined to run 40.45 to secure the school’s first win in the event since 1967.
Kingston College (Daniel Clarke, Yourie Lawrence-Clarke, Nyrone Wade, Marcinho Rose) were second in 40.53 and Herbert Morrison (Ky-Mani Hemmings, Tavaine Stewart, Chance Segree, De Andre Daley) completed a Jamaican 1-2-3 with 40.56 in third.
Smith produces season’s best to win long jump at Texas Invitational
Texas junior Ackelia Smith produced an NCAA leading performance to take top spot on day one of the Texas Invitational at the Mike A. Myers Stadium on Friday.
The 22-year-old reigning NCAA champion produced a season’s best 7.10m, her first jump over 7m this season, to win ahead of Trinidadian Puma athlete Tyra Gittens (6.72m) and UTSA’s Ida Breigan (6.65m).
This is a welcome return to form for Smith who suffered a torn hamstring at the NCAA Indoor Championships in early March.
Smith was Jamaica’s national champion in the long jump in 2022 and was a finalist in both the long and triple jump at that year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
