Sanzy Lifestyle
When Briana Williams finished ninth in the 100m dash at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon on May 28, she could not have imagined the wave of negative reaction that was to follow on social media.
After a successful indoor season during which she ran a new lifetime best of 7.04 while finishing fifth in the 60m final at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia in March, Williams and her coach Ato Boldon turned their attention to preparing to compete in Jamaica’s National Senior Championships at the end of June with the intention of making Jamaica’s team to the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene in July.
Apparently, the heavy workload had taken its toll and Williams, who won gold in the 4x100m relay at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, was clearly not at her best. Following the run in Oregon, social media blew up with toxic narratives. She was not progressing fast enough. She needs to leave Boldon. Other Jamaican women had surpassed her now.
Those criticisms stung and were partly behind her decision to travel to Jamaica to compete at the JAAA/SDF Jubilee Meet at Jamaica College in Kingston on Saturday. There, she ran a wind-assisted 10.91 (3.4m/s) in the preliminary round and then returned for the final where she ran a season's best 10.98 which went a long way toward silencing the armchair coaches.
“I definitely did,” said Williams while speaking with Sportsmax.TV after her triumphant performance on Saturday night.
“We don’t always have perfect races. Last week (Oregon) wasn’t my best. I wasn’t feeling my best but I am glad I got this meet in, was able to have a prelim and a final and finish healthy with a new season’s best.”
In truth, following her performance at the Prefontaine Classic when she clocked a relatively pedestrian 11.20, Williams did begin to doubt herself. However, those doubts were quickly extinguished by Coach Boldon.
“Well, I only had Prefontaine that was really bad. After the race, I was like ‘Oh My God, what’s going on? I am putting in the work’, but my coach said just trust the process. The work is there in training; you just have to wait. Everyone has their time, and we will not always have the best races,” she said.
“I would love for people to actually understand that we’re human beings and we’re athletes and we go through a lot and one bad race, we bounce back into a good race and we move forward.”
In fact, Williams believes that despite what the naysayers believe, she has been having a really good season.
“This season has been going well so far, especially indoors, my first full season indoors, 7.04. No one at 19 has done that and just to be the youngest at the World Indoor Championships and to place fifth really meant a lot,” she said.
“After indoors I went straight into training, heavy training, and I think that was where I was feeling it, at Prefontaine.”
Now with that disappointing performance clearly behind her, Williams is now firmly focused on being at her best for Jamaica’s National Senior Championships from June 23-26, when she will face off against some of the fastest women in the world with the aim of booking a ticket to Oregon in July.
To do that she will face as deep a field as she has ever faced in Jamaica. In addition to the usual suspects, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who will compete despite having a bye to Oregon as the defending 100m champion and Shericka Jackson, Williams will come up against an in-form Kevona Davis, Natasha Morrison, Remona Burchell, Natalliah Whyte, Kemba Nelson and Shockoria Wallace all of whom have been having strong seasons.
Notwithstanding the depth of talent, the Olympic gold medallist said nothing will change in how she prepares for the fierce battles ahead.
“Never, it is always the same. It is always a hot field and I always perform my best when the time is right,” she said.
“I know that trials will be hard. Everyone is running fast. That is how it’s supposed to be. I am looking forward to 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.
Michael Johnson optimistic about bright future for field events amid rise of track-centric meets
Legendary sprinter Michael Johnson, the founder of the upcoming Grand Slam Track (GST) series, is confident that field events will not be sidelined despite the emergence of track-only competitions like GST and September's all-woman Athlos NY meet. Instead, Johnson envisions a future where field events flourish in their own right, buoyed by specialized leagues and platforms.
Grand Slam Track recently announced its inaugural season for 2025, with meets scheduled in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. As excitement builds for the all-track format, concerns have surfaced about the potential marginalization of field events like the shot put, discus, javelin, and triple jump. However, responding to a query from Sportsmax.TV, Johnson dismissed these fears, offering a compelling case for optimism.
“I think you will see quite the opposite,” Johnson said. “Ryan Crouser, the Olympic champion and world record holder in the shot put, is going to start his vision for a throws league that is specifically for the throws where the fans who actually appreciate those events and understand the great athleticism that is required for those events can actually be closer to the action. And so those events don’t fall secondary to what’s happening on the track, and I have offered my support to Ryan for that.”
Johnson, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and former 200m and 400m world record holder, pointed to Crouser’s initiative as an example of how specialized leagues can elevate field events.
“So I don’t think you will see those events continue to go away. I think it’s the exact opposite,” Johnson continued. “I think that there has been inspiration around how you now create leagues for those events as well, where you can make those events more prominent.”
Field events have experienced a resurgence in recent years, with Caribbean athletes making significant strides on the global stage. Trinidad and Tobago’s Keshorn Walcott and Grenada’s Anderson Peters have won Olympic and World Championship medals in the javelin. Jamaica's Roje Stona set an Olympic record to win gold in the discus, with compatriot Rajindra Campbell claiming shot put bronze. Dominica’s Thea LaFond made history by winning her country’s first Olympic medal, a gold in the triple jump, ahead of Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts, a two-time World Championship silver medalist.
Johnson believes specialized leagues and tailored events are key to ensuring that these athletes and their disciplines receive the recognition they deserve.
“Right now, they’re getting lost in a huge stadium where fans far away can’t actually see and appreciate the athleticism,” Johnson explained. “So I think that this [Grand Slam Track] paves the way for a brighter future for the field events.”
Grand Slam Track’s inaugural season promises to bring a fresh, dynamic format to track events, while Johnson’s endorsement of field-event-specific leagues highlights his broader vision for athletics as a sport. With initiatives like Crouser’s throws league on the horizon, Johnson’s optimism reflects a shift toward creating dedicated platforms for all disciplines to shine.
The 2025 GST series, set to kick off with a meet in Kingston from April 4-, marks an exciting evolution for the sport. As Johnson’s vision takes shape, the future appears brighter not just for track athletes but for the field-event stars whose talents deserve a stage of their own.
Jaydon Hibbert honoured and 'humbled' with inaugural JOA Olympic Spirit Award
Rising athletics star Jaydon Hibbert was humbled and deeply honoured to receive the first-ever Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) Olympic Spirit Award during a glittering ceremony at the Terra Nova Hotel on Saturday night.
The award, introduced to celebrate athletes who exemplify the core values of Olympism—courage, perseverance, and sportsmanship—recognizes Hibbert’s remarkable resilience and determination at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Despite battling discomfort during competition, Hibbert delivered an exceptional performance in the men’s triple jump, narrowly missing the podium by 0.03 centimeters to finish fourth. At just 19 years old, he was the youngest competitor in the field, showcasing composure and tenacity beyond his years.
The JOA’s official citation praised Hibbert’s efforts, describing him as "dauntless and with inborn patriotism," commending his ability to “give it his all” despite physical challenges. It continued:
"The heart of a gladiator will always beat with the lifeblood of a champion, and Jaydon is of that mettle. The Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) applauds Jaydon Hibbert, a distinguished brother of our household and our first Olympic Spirit awardee."
Hibbert, who is also a nominee for the World Athletics Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year, expressed gratitude and humility in his acceptance speech.
"To be recognized in this way is truly humbling," he said. "The Olympic Games were a test of my spirit, and I’m proud to represent Jamaica on and off the field. This award serves as motivation for what’s to come."
Christopher Samuda, President of the JOA, highlighted the importance of the award during his remarks at the ceremony, underscoring its role in celebrating not just athletic excellence but the qualities of perseverance and character.
"The award not only recognizes athletic excellence but also celebrates the spirit of perseverance and sportsmanship that transcends the playing field," Samuda said. "Jaydon's inclusion underscores the JOA’s commitment to celebrating not only athletic success but also the core values of Olympism – character, courage, and unyielding grit, the true essence of the Olympic spirit."
The ceremony also honored Jamaica’s 2024 Paris Olympic medalists, but Hibbert’s recognition stood out as a poignant reminder of the Olympic spirit that defines true champions. As the applause echoed in the room, it was clear that Jaydon Hibbert’s journey has only just begun, and his story continues to inspire.
Not so fast: Haughton says Thompson-Herah in Florida for treatment on Achilles; not joining Tumbleweed Track Club
Earlier on Saturday, Sportsmax.tv published a story based on the words of three-time Olympic medallist, Dr. Gregory Haughton, suggesting that Elaine Thompson-Herah was training with the Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Florida under the supervision of Rana Reider.
He mentioned the potential move in a recent video, which has since been deleted, on his YouTube channel Let’s Talk-With Dr. Greg.
Now, Haughton has released a statement on his Facebook page clarifying that the five-time Olympic champion has, in fact, not been training with the club but is, instead, in Florida getting treatment for the Achilles injury that hampered her 2024 season.
“On Thursday I posted a video entitled Elaine Thompson Herah has found a new home, which in my mind was very good news. The day before I dropped the video, I received a call stating that Elaine was in Florida getting treatment and she was also a part of a particular training camp, I then made some calls to confirm the first call I got, and it was confirmed multiple times,” Haughton said in the statement.
It continued: “I even asked two of the sources how sure are you of the info and both said 90% sure which in turn I reported as such. 24 hours after dropping the video, I got a call from someone on Elaine's team, where we had a very intense conversation in the first 20-25 minutes which eventually ended up being a very enlightening conversation.
At the end of the day, I respected the fact the call was made, and I also appreciated the fact that they took the time to listen to what I had to say regarding my intentions behind it all. It must be said that the personnel from Elaine's team stated that the video was not completely accurate and adamantly refuted any claims being made about Elaine having an official new camp...
Yes, Elaine is in Florida getting treatment, yes Elaine may have associates that are associated with the camp in question, but let it be heard here as I set the record straight, Elaine has not found a new home plain and simple.”
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