Jamaican Olympian Stacey-Ann Williams made an emphatic statement in her 2025 indoor season debut, running a personal best 51.31 in the 400m at the Tyson Invitational on Friday. Competing in section seven of 10, she delivered a strong performance, finishing as the third-fastest overall behind Great Britain’s Amber Anning, who set a world-leading 50.57, and Isabella Whittaker, who clocked 50.87.
The performance comes just weeks after Williams switched training groups, moving from Elite Performance to Hurdles Mechanics in January. While many might view her PB as validation for the move, Williams credits her hard work and determination, rather than the location change, for her rapid improvement.
“In all honesty, something that I know about myself is that I am very determined and hardworking, so it’s hard to say this validates my move,” Williams told Sportsmax.TV. “Yes, I was able to run a PR my first race out, but I was on track to do that regardless of where I’m at because of my hard work and determination—not limited to my move here.”
Williams looked strong from the gun, splitting 24.53 at the 200m mark before closing in 13.81 seconds over the final stretch to secure her new lifetime best. Despite the impressive start to her season, she and her team have yet to decide whether she will compete at the Indoor Championships or focus on preparing for the outdoor season.
“We still haven’t decided if we are going to take on indoor championships, as these were just blowout runs to see where I’m at since training has been going well for the past couple of weeks,” she explained.
With a new PB in her first race out, Williams is brimming with confidence and eager to build on her early success.
“I feel good and confident about everything that is going on so far. I was able to run a PB my first race out, so I’m just as excited to race more and gather more PRs later on in the season or whenever I race again.”
With her indoor campaign still up in the air, all signs point to a big outdoor season ahead for the talented Jamaican quarter-miler. If her first race of 2025 is any indication, Williams is poised to reach new heights in the months to come.