The 21-year-old American ran 10.74 in the preliminary round of the 100m and then followed up with 10.77 in the final despite a stiff enough headwind of -1.2m/s. This is the third time in as many races this season that she has run under 10.8s.
Williams, who opened her 100m season with 11.29 in Oregon a week ago, clocked 11.15 for third in the final to follow up on her season-best 11.09 that she ran in the preliminaries for second in Richardson’s heat.
Javaine Oliver was third in 11.08.
McMaster broke his own British Virgin Islands national record of 47.54 when he clocked 47.50 for second place in the 400m hurdles won by Rai Benjamin in a world-leading 47.13. Alison Dos Santos, who finished third, also set a Brazilian national record of 47.68.
Jamaica’s Kemar Mowatt was fourth in a season-best 48.90.
Meanwhile, Kimberly Williams won the triple jump with 14.62m.
Thomas-Dodd threw 18.91m to finish second in the shot put won by the USA’s Maggie Ewen who threw a season-best 19.32. The USA’s Jessica Ramsay was third with her best effort of 18.58m. Two other Caribbean athletes finished in the top 10. Jamaica’s Lloydrica Cameron produced a personal best throw of 18.33m for sixth place while Trinidad and Tobago’s Portious Warren uncorked a 17.83m effort for eighth.
The 100m hurdles was keenly a contested race but world-record holder Kendra Harrison proved to be too much for the field running a season-best 12.48 for the victory. In her wake was Cindy Semper who ran a personal best 12.53 for second place. Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan clocked 12.61 for third, the same time as Devynne Charlton, who established a new Bahamas national record.
A couple of Trinidadian’s picked up third-place finishes in their respective events. Deon Lendore ran a season-best 45.04 in the 400m won by the USA’s Michael Norman in 44.40. Michael Cherry ran 44.86 for second place.
Meanwhile, Jereem Richards ran a season-best 20.20 to finish behind Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek, who ran 19.90 and 19.94 for first and second, respectively.
Gabby Thomas won the 200m in a season-best 22.12 over Allyson Felix who opened with a fast 22.26 for second place. Lynna Irby was third in 22.37.
Thompson-Herah, who won the 100/200m double at the 2016 Rio Olympics, created history in Tokyo earlier this month when she became the first woman to successfully defend both titles at the same Olympics.
She won the 100m in an Olympic record of 10.61, eclipsing the 10.62 set by Florence Griffith-Joyner at Seoul in 1988 and followed up by winning the 200m in a personal best of 21.53, which made her the second-fastest woman in history.
She then added a third gold medal as a member of Jamaica’s 4x100m sprint relay team that established a new national record of 41.02.
The 21-year-old Richardson, who ran a personal best 10.72 in April, won the 100m at US trials in July in 10.86. However, she was subsequently banned for a month after testing positive for THC, a derivative of marijuana. Her omission triggered a debate about whether she would have won had she been allowed to compete in Tokyo.
However, the much-touted American will not only be facing the Olympic champion in the blue-ribbon sprint. She is also facing a motivated Fraser-Pryce, the second-fastest woman in the world this year and the third fastest all time, who is likely to be still smarting from her loss in the Olympic 100m final.
The 34-year-old two-time Olympic champion (2008, 2012) was considered the overwhelming favourite to land a third 100m Olympic title following her 10.63s run at the National Stadium in Kingston on June 5. However, she finished second to Thompson-Herah in 10.74.
The Olympic 100m bronze medalist Jackson, who ran a personal best 10.76 in Tokyo, has also been included in the line-up that will also feature, Tokyo relay gold medalist Briana Williams (10.97), Teahna Daniels (10.98), Javiane Oliver (10.96) and Marie Josee Ta Lou of the Ivory Coast, who ran a personal best 10.78 in Tokyo.
Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji who has run a season-best 10.96, is also listed for the clash that is perhaps the fastest field ever assembled.
According to Boldon, the movement of the Olympics to the Summer of 2021 is likely to push the World Championships to 2022, sparking a domino effect on other major games.
“It means that we may be in for four championship years in a row. We know that the summer Olympics are going to be in 2021. I think they are going to push the World Championships over to 2022 which means that it then conflicts with the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup, and then we get back on stream with the regular schedule of 2023 World Championships and 2024 Olympics in Paris,” said Boldon.
These movements, Boldon believes, won’t reset the athletic calendar for another five years, but sees no real alternative to the unprecedented action of putting an Olympics in an odd year.
Boldon has an interest in what the next few years of athletics holds as the coach of rising star, Briana Williams.
Williams was set to contest for a place in her first Olympics and in a recent SportsMax.tv interview, Boldon said the delay was good for his athlete, who would have a year to get stronger.
Alongside Muhammad, a host of emerging Jamaican talents will also grace the track, including standout sprinters Alana Reid, Briana Williams, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie, and Sandrey Davison.
Reid has been training alongside World 100m champion Sha'Carri Richardson in Florida and will be looking to make an early statement on her form leading into the national championships in June.
Williams, under the mentorship of distinguished coach John Smith in California, is an Olympic sprint relay gold medalist and a two-time World Championship silver medallist who is eager for a return to form.
Nkrumie, who last year became the first Jamaican schoolboy to break the 10-second barrier, and Davison, both formidable sprinters in their own right, add depth to sprint line up with Davison currently holding the title of fastest Jamaican over 100m this year.
Marvin Anderson, Athletes' Liaison for the Jamaica Athletics Invitational, expressed his enthusiasm for the calibre of athletes set to compete. "We are pleased with the confirmed list to date and excited about the level of competition the athletes and fans should experience," he remarked.
Anticipation is high for a thrilling series of events both on the track and in the field.
Tickets for the May 11 event are already available online, with ticket locations opening on May 4. Grandstand tickets are priced at $3,000, while bleacher seating is free of charge. The meet is scheduled to run from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, followed by an after-party to celebrate an evening of world-class athletics.
The Jamaica Athletics Invitational promises to deliver top-notch competition and showcase the immense talent within the track and field community. With international stars like Dalilah Muhammad and rising Jamaican sensations like Alana Reid and Briana Williams, fans can expect an unforgettable evening of athletic prowess at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Williams set a world-leading time of 7.75 at Clemson on February 11, which makes her a medal favourite for the championships. Anderson, 21, ran a lifetime best of 7.82 in Louisville, Kentucky, making her fourth-best in the world this year. Besides her compatriot, only Americans Kendra Harrison and Alia Armstrong, who have both run 7.81 have gone faster.
Goule, who ran world-leading times twice so far this season, has the second-fastest time in the world over 800m this indoor season. Her 1:58:46 set in France on February 17, is only bettered by Keely Hodgkinson's 1:57.20 set in Birmingham on February 19.
The 19-member team also includes Briana Williams, whose 7.09 makes her the second-fastest Jamaican and sixth-fastest in the world over 60m this year and Shericka Jackson, whose personal best of 7.12 makes her the third-fastest Jamaican and tied for 14th in the world for 2022.
The female dominant team also includes Danielle Thomas-Dodd for the shot put, Kimberly Williams in the triple jump as well as Roneisha McGregor and Stephenie-Ann McPherson for the 400m.
Junelle Bromfield, who is an alternate for the 400m, Tiffany James, Tovea Jenkins, Janieve Russell as well as McPherson and McGregor comprise the 4x400m relay squad.
Christopher Taylor has been named for the 400m while Ronald Levy will go in the 60m hurdles and Nigel Ellis will compete in the 60m dash.
Williams ran a new lifetime best of 10.94 to finish fourth just missing out on individual representation at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon in mid-July. In the race where the start was delayed by more than five minutes because of technical challenges being experienced by the starters, Shericka Jackson won her first national 100m title clocking a fast 10.77 while Kemba Nelson finished second in a new lifetime best of 10.88.
Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was third in 10.89, just ahead of the 20-year-old Williams.
“I had a new PB, I am grateful. I had a great start. My end was pretty bad but it was a great race nonetheless,” Williams said afterwards, indicating that the delay had a major impact.
“A lot, it was very irritating.”
She revealed that she is also thankful to be able to perform as well as she did, given some challenges that she has had to face so far this season.
“This year hasn’t been the best. Indoors went pretty well but I am still going on with my season,” she said as she looks forward to donning the gold, black and green in Oregon as a member of Jamaica’s relay squad next month.
Thompson-Herah is entered in both 100 metres and 200m events. The 100 field also includes her fellow Jamaicans Natasha Morrison and Briana Williams, Bahamian Tynia Gaither, Trinidad and Tobago’s Kelly-Ann Baptiste and American Tianna Bartoletta.
Thompson-Herah is second on the 2021 world outdoor performance list at 10.78 seconds, trailing only American sprint sensation Sha’Carri Richardson (10.72). Morrison is fourth with a 10.87 run, while Williams is 11th at 10.98. Gaither is also in the top 20, her 11.02 clocking placing her at number 13.
In the longer sprint, Thompson-Herah will be challenged by Williams, Gaither, Great Britain’s Jodie Williams and American Brittany Brown, the 2019 World Championship 200m silver medalist.
Brown, eighth on the 2021 global list at 22.43 seconds, is tipped for top honours in the NACAC New Life Invitational half-lap event.
Bartoletta, the 2016 Olympic Games long jump gold medalist, is on the entry list for her pet event. Bartoletta will face strong challenges from fellow American Malaina Payton, Jamaica’s Chanice Porter, Briton Lorraine Ugen and Canadian Christabel Nettey.
The women’s 100m hurdles is packed with quality that includes Jamaica’s 2015 world champion Danielle Williams, Nigerian Tobi Amusan and American Christina Clemons.
Jamaican Chrisann Gordon-Powell and American Wadeline Jonathas go head-to-head in the women’s 400 while in the 400 hurdles, Olympic champion Dalilah Muhammad takes on 2021 world leader Shamier Little (53.12).
The two Americans, though, will not have things all their own way as in-form Jamaicans Rhonda Whyte and Shiann Salmon are also in the line-up and coming off season-best performances in Jacksonville on Sunday.
American Ajee Wilson is expected to dominate the women’s 800m.
And in the women’s triple jump, Dominican Republic’s Ana Tima is the one to watch.
Among the men that will feature at the NACAC New Life Invitational are American sprint star Trayvon Bromell, the 2021 100m world leader at 9.88 seconds, and Samoan discus thrower Alex Rose.
Some 200 athletes from 27 countries are expected to be on show at the NACAC New Life Invitational. Saturday’s meet starts at 2 pm (Eastern Daylight Time).
Dexter Mitchell, the organizer for the meet set for April 4, 2020, at the Kirani James Athletics Stadium in Grenada, also confirmed the participation of world-record holder Kendra Harrison, Olympic and World champion Justin Gatlin, and 2019 long-jump world champion Tajay Gayle.
The impressive line-up also includes hometown hero Kirani James, Blessing Okagbare, Aaron Brown, Zharnel Hughes, and Asafa Powell for what Mitchell said would be the best meet yet.
“In its fourth year the Grenada Invitational will be the most competitive and exciting of our four meets,” he said of the meet that will also see the likes of 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake and Grenadian decathlete Lindon Victor in competition.
“In an Olympic year, we have been able to assemble a stellar cast of world-class athletes and with our World Athletes World Continental Tours Silver designation, the expectation is for delivery of a World Class event.”
The meet, set to take place from March 19-23 at the National Stadium in Kingston, had its official media launch on Wednesday evening at the same venue.
This year will mark the 113th year of the showpiece event as well as the 25th anniversary of the merging of Boys and Girls Champs.
Kingston College are defending champions on the boys side while Hydel High ended Edwin Allen’s eight-year reign on the throne last year of the girls side.
101 teams are down to compete on the boys side while 97 are set to do battle for the girls title. Athletes will contest a total of 88 events over a grueling five days of competition.
While Tuesday’s day one will feature only preliminaries, Wednesday’s day two will see 17 finals contested highlighted by the 100m and 1500m. Thursday and Friday will each have 13 finals contested before the festivities culminate with 43 finals on Saturday’s final day.
Organizers have also added a special event to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the merge between the Boys and the Girls events.
There will be exhibition mixed relays, twinning traditional boys’ schools with their sister schools as well as adding Manchester High School in honor of Mr. Branford Gayle, late former principal who was instrumental in the merger.
This year’s edition will also see the introduction of international technical officials to complement the local technical official pool.
President of the Inter-Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA), Mr. Keith Wellington, expects this year’s event to be special.
“The 2024 version of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Championships promises to be another landmark staging of the greatest High School Athletics Championships in the world,” he said at Wednesday’s event.
“We expect patrons that patrons will be dazzled, not only by the performances of our athletes but will also experience pulsating entertainment off the track,” he added.
Wellington also commented on the addition of international officials.
“We believe that the inclusion of an international start referee and the addition of an international official to the jury of appeal will not only add significant credibility to these areas, but will enhance the already significant reputation of “Champs” as a meet of the highest international quality,” he said.
GraceKennedy, who have been sponsoring “Champs” since 2007, have committed $178 million to this year’s edition.
“Champs continues to be the largest sponsorship in dollars and heart by far, for the entire GraceKennedy Group,” said GraceKennedy Group CEO Don Wehby.
“We are honored and proud to be the title sponsor of such an iconic event, an event that holds such cultural prominence among Jamaicans at home and abroad. This is a significant investment and represents a powerful example of our commitment to invest in our schools, youth and our country. Our support for Champs and youth development in Jamaica is unwavering, and will continue for years to come,” he added.
Wehby also announced that, in honor of GraceKennedy’s 102nd anniversary, they will have a special award of $202,000 for any school whose student breaks a 200m record.
Nelson, a senior at the University of Oregon, ran a personal best of 10.88 to finish second to Shericka Jackson, who ran a season-best 10.77 to secure her first national 100m title. Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was third in 10.89 while Briana Williams ran a new lifetime best of 10.94 for fourth.
The key, she said, was to execute her race plan. “Once I execute the time will come,” she said.
Nelson, who won the silver medal behind Julien Alfred at the NCAA Division I Championships in Oregon earlier this month, explained that the more than 25-minute delay at the start did affect her but she was able to regain her composure ahead of the eventual start and that also paid off for her. She credits the advice of Coach Robert Johnson at Oregon for helping in that regard.
“Coach Johnson has always said to be things don’t only affect me, it affects all seven other athletes. It’s just for me to regroup because it’s bad for everybody but don’t let bad stop me from what I came here to do.”
Naturally, Nelson was ecstatic afterwards, sharing hugs first with Jackson and then family and friends afterwards in celebration of the achievement of making her first World Championships team.
“It means a lot to me. Coach has always believed in me, knows that I could do it, a little girl from Mobay living her dream,” she said, indicating that her decision to leave the University of Technology and enrol at the University of Oregon has been a key factor in her development.
“One of the best decisions I ever made in my life,” she said.
Williams’ coach, Trinidad and Tobago track and field icon, Ato Boldon, had promised that the 17-year-old would have been faster this season, especially important with the Tokyo Olympics on the horizon.
She has started in a manner that suggests Boldon is right.
The 17-year-old won her semi-final with a time of 7.27 seconds, eclipsing her personal best of 7.28.
She then returned to clock a faster time, 7.25 seconds, in the final but it was only good enough for second place behind American Jayla Kirkland of Florida State, who won easily in 7.17.
Williams had beaten Kirkland in the semi-finals earlier.
Williams previous best of 7.28 seconds was posted in March 2019 where she beat an elite high school field at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
The races not only represent the first for Williams but the first for the teenager since being found not to have been at fault by the Independent Anti-Doping Panel in September 2019 following a positive drug test.
She took an over-the-counter flu remedy at the Jamaican trials in June which had the banned diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide among its components.
The young sprinter then decided in September to withdraw from the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, a competition she had qualified for at the trials.
Williams, who is based in Florida, will next be in action at the Queen's School/Grace Jackson Invitational in Kingston, Jamaica on January 25, also over 60m.
She is also scheduled to take on a strong field with five Olympians, over 60m, at the 113th NYRR Millrose Games on Saturday, February 8 at the Armory Track & Field Center in New York.
In recent weeks, the Coronavirus has spread to 111 countries and has infected more than 100,000 people across the globe, killing more than 3000 of them. It is against this background that the Local Organising Committee of the relays has taken what they have described as a difficult decision.
“After extensive deliberations with local public health officials, our broadcast partners, sponsors and athletes representatives, it was determined that the paramount importance of the health of our citizens and the expected influx of travellers (athletes, etc) warranted us to err on the side of caution,” organisers said in a statement today.
“As such, in light of the fluidity and uncertainty related to (COVID-19), it has become necessary to postpone the 4th annual Grenada Invitational that was scheduled for April 4th, 2020.
“The improbability and flexibility of the situation changes from day to day and these uncertainties are sure to hinder in the delivery of a World Class event.”
Some of the world’s best track and field athletes were down to compete at the Grenada Invitational as they gear up for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan that is also under threat because of the spread the virus that has seen thousands of Japanese citizens being infected.
Schools in that country have been ordered closed and public gatherings have been banned until the end of April when the International Olympic Committee is expected to make a final decision on whether the Games will be held.
Similarly, the organisers of the Grenada Invitational said they will decide if and when the meet will be held this year.
“Grenada Invitational will, as the rest of the sporting world, monitor the global conditions and along with track and field’s governing body, World Athletics and our broadcast partner, a new date for the meet will be announced once the (COVID-19) is no longer a threat and normalcy in travel and other routine activities is returned,” the statement said.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the 2016 double Olympic champion, 2011 World Champion Yohan Blake, and Olympic and World Champion Kirani James were to be among the headliners at the meet this year as the organizers had begun to assemble a world-class field of athletes for the meet.
Also confirmed were the likes of Briana Williams, Kendra Harrison, Asafa Powell, Justin Gatlin, and Tajay Gayle.
Williams, who ran a personal best of 7.04 at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March, blazed to her best ever opener in the 200m, clocking a nippy 22.82 in Gainesville, signalling that good things could be in store for the 20-year-old Jamaican this season.
However, in Bermuda, both her speed and mettle will be tested when she lines up alongside world leader Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, USA's Dezerea Bryant and Twanisha Terry as well as Anthonique Strachan of The Bahamas.
Not one to be daunted by the opposition, Williams said she is eager to step into the blocks on Sunday with a new personal best in mind.
“I’m really thrilled to run my second 200m of the season in Bermuda, it’s my first time there,” she said. “The field is very strong and I’m looking forward to a new personal best, it’s time to update that number and run a very strong and fast race.”
Williams’ personal best of 22.50 was set in 2018 while winning the 200m and completing the sprint double at the World U20 Championships. She was just 16 years old.
Meanwhile, her coach Ato Boldon, who said his young star will be running more 200m races this year, thinks Sunday’s race will be a true test for the young Olympian but believes she is ready for the challenge.
“Briana getting a chance to run a high-quality 200m in April in Bermuda fits her overall plan,” he said. “A year ago, she was battling injuries. She’s fully fit and ready now."
*Editor's note: This story initially stated that the USATF/Bermuda Games would be held on Sunday. The Games will be held on Saturday. Sportsmax.TV apologizes for the error.
Fraser-Pryce, in her second race of the season, eased to a season’s best time of 10.98 to advance to Friday’s semi-finals as the fastest qualifier.
Tia Clayton ran a personal best 11.02 to also advance from Fraser-Pryce’s heat while Ashanti Moore ran 11.24 in third to also advance.
Jackson also looked in cruise control, jogging to a season’s best 10.99 to win her heat. Jodean Williams came agonizingly close to dipping below the 11-second barrier for the first time with a personal best 11.01 in second while Alana Reid also advanced with 11.20 in third. Niesha Burgher's 11.32 was also enough to take her through.
The third heat produced five semi-finalists with Natasha Morrison (11.12), Kemba Nelson (11.16), Shockoria Wallace (11.24), Briana Williams (11.25) and Lanae-Tava Thomas (11.27) all getting through to the semis.
Shashalee Forbes (11.03), Krystal Sloley (11.12), Tina Clayton (11.13) and Jonielle Smith (11.23) advanced to the semi-finals from heat four.
The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Friday.
The 20-year-old Williams recently announced the decision to part ways with long-time coach Ato Boldon and join Frater and Gregory Little at Titans. As a junior, Williams was a world champion in both the 100m and 200m. Since turning pro in 2020, however, the athlete has failed to engineer anything close to similar success at the senior level.
Williams has made both the Olympics and World Championship teams, going on to win 4x100m relay gold, but has only managed to secure a spot in the relay pool to date and missed out on individual appearances. At the Jamaica national trials, earlier this year, her time of 10.94, a new personal best, was only good enough for fourth spot.
In track and field, it isn’t uncommon for junior stars to fail to make the grade at the senior level but Frater believes Williams has the mindset to join the likes of Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown as world juniors champions who went on to excel at the senior level.
“It’s hard for a lot of these athletes that do great things at young ages, a lot of them never surpass what they do,” Frater told the SportsMax Zone.
“That's why most people will tell you that they prefer athletes who weren’t teeing off at a young age,” he added.
“I think with Briana’s attitude and dedication, though, it won’t be a problem for her transitioning to the next level, and as coach Ato said he may not have been able to spend enough time with her. For an athlete to be a world-class athlete she has to get the full attention that she needs.”
Gayle, the 2019 World Champion, jumped a world-leading 8.27m to win the long-jump competition in which five jumpers went beyond eight metres. However, those who won medals were Holland Martin of the Bahamas who jumped 8.15m for second place while Damacus Simpson finished third with his best jump of 8.05m.
Meanwhile, Thomas-Dodd was a class above the rest winning the shot put with a mark of 19.17m, the third-best in the world this year. She was almost half-metre better than second-placed Magdalyn Ewen of the USA, who managed 18.69m for second place.
Ewen’s compatriot Jessica Ramsay finished among the medals with her best throw of 18.61m.
Three-time NCAA champion Jamaica’s Natoya Goule was among the best Caribbean performers, the Jamaican finishing second in the 800m after leading the race for about 750m before she was passed by her US rival Ajee Wilson who crossed first in 2:00.57. Goule’s clocked 2:00.92. Allie Wilson was third in 2:02.58.
In the men’s equivalent Jamaica’s Rahjay Hamilton, came out the worst in a three-way battle down the home stretch, finishing third in 1:48.32. Meanwhile, USA’s Kameron Jones, who led for most of the race was pipped at the line by Abe Alvarado who took the win in 1:47.29, three-hundredths of a second ahead of Jones, who clocked 1:47.32.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Cejhae Green ran a season-best 10.00 to finish third in the 100m won by Kyrie King in 9.97, just ahead of veteran Justin Gatlin, who ran 9.98.
Stephenie-Ann McPherson ran 51.09 for fourth and Chrisann Gordon-Powell 51.39 for sixth in the hotly contested 400m won by 400m hurdler Shamier Little in a lifetime best of 49.91, just holding off Quanera Haynes who was timed in 49.92.
Kendall Ellis made it a 1-2-3 finish for the USA as she was third in 50.48.
Thompson-Herah the Olympic 200m champion and Briana Williams, the 2018 World U20 200m champion, were fourth and sixth in 22.44 and 22.93, respectively in the half-lap sprint won by the USA’s Jenna Prandini in 22.29.
Bahrain’s Brittany Brown was second 22.39 with Candice Hill of the USA not far behind in 22.43.
The meet ended on a sad note for Jamaica’s Akeem Bloomfield, who fell to the track in the men’s 200m and did not finish. There was no official word on what was the nature of his injury in the race won by Kenny Bednarek in a windy 19.65. The race was run with a trailing wind of 4m/s, twice the allowable limit.
Emmanuel Matadi finished second in 20.20 while EJ Floreal was third in 20.41.
The effort was the latest in a series of philanthropic acts undertaken by the athlete, who also recently donated tablets to student-athletes and printing machinery to the Jamaica Cancer Society who produces large volumes of readouts of pap smears, mammograms, and testicular cancer screenings on a daily basis. Williams also conducted a Christmas treat, in Montego Bay, in December.
The 18-year-old, who is also a patron of the Caribbean’s largest charity event, the Sigma Sagicor Run 2021, was lauded by the Prime Minister for her charitable efforts.
“I am happy that our young people are being agents of change and are willing to help build our great nation through service. Keep up the good work, Briana,” he wrote on his social media pages.
For Williams, it was inspirational to meet the Prime Minister once again. She was awarded the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence in sports, in 2018, following her outstanding performances at the World Under-20 Championships and CARIFTA Games, where she won the coveted Austin Sealy award.
“It was an honour to sit with him and he was just so encouraging and inspirational. Just being able to speak to him about my training and my preparations was so uplifting for me. He also promised to match my donation by purchasing printers for distribution to more schools as well. I know that if each of us contributes in some way, we can help Jamaica recover stronger, so I’m just happy to play my part,” said Williams.
Williams was accompanied by her manager Tanya Lee and Dominique Walker, CEO of Printware Online who provided the printers.
Williams, who now trains in Jamaica, feted children at the Paradise Community Centre from 10am to 3pm. The children enjoyed playing on bounce-about rides, a Santa Village, a games screen and gifts from Digicel.
Grace Foods provided boxed lunches, beverages and snacks to each child.
"For the last two treats, we had to deliver the gifts to each home wearing masks because of the pandemic,” Williams said.
“It's nice to host a fun day and interact with the community. This is what makes Christmas special for the children.
“Special thanks to my sponsors Digicel, Grace Foods and KIG Jamaica for making this a reality for the last three years".
In eight global finals, since she won her first Olympic title in Beijing in 2008, the Pocket Rocket has won six. She demonstrated that mettle once again on Friday night when she won her fourth national 100m title against a strong field on day two of the Jamaica National Championships in Kingston.
The two-time Olympic champion stormed to victory in 10.71, the second-fastest time run by anyone this year, only bettered by her world-leading 10.63 run at the same venue on June 5.
Using her explosive start to her advantage, she got away from the field that was unable to close as she flashed across the finish line.
Second was Shericka Jackson, who surprised everyone when she clocked a big lifetime best of 10.77 to win her semi-final just over an hour before. She ran an equally impressive 10.82 holding off the 2016 double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah, who was third in 10.84.
Briana Williams, who at 19, was the youngest in the field, finished fourth in 11.01, which earned her a place at her first Olympic Games.
There was also another surprise in the men’s 100m as Tyquendo Tracey ran 10.00 flat to edge Yohan Blake 10.01 and an ecstatic Oblique Seville, who ran a personal best 10.04 for third and booked a spot to his very first Olympic Games.
There were two runaway winners in the 400m hurdles but the more impressive of the two was Jaheel Hyde who clocked a lifetime best 48.18 to win and also exceed the Olympic standard of 48.90, which means he is also going to Tokyo this summer.
He punched the air as he crossed the line and saw the flash time on the electronic clock on the infield.
Second went to Sean Rowe who stopped the clock at 49.60, just ahead of Kemar Mowatt, who was third in 49.61.
Janieve Russell ran away with the women’s race to win in a season-best 54.07.
Ronda Whyte was second in 54.94 while Leah Nugent was third in 54.98 in a close finish that saw Shian Salmon finish fourth in 55.00.
Yohan Blake, the 2011 World Champion and double Olympic silver medalist showed glimpses of the Beast, as he also advanced to the semi-finals of the men’s 100m with the fastest time.
Jackson, 26, a 400m specialist, clocked 10.91 and was the fastest among the women. That takes some doing considering that the preliminary round also featured four-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who cruised to victory in her heat in 10.97.
Elaine Thompson-Herah, the 2016 double Olympic champion also looked to be in incredibly great shape as she won her heat in 10.96. Briana Williams, 2018 World U20, was also a picture of good form in winning her heat in 11.00.
Also among the 16 women advancing to the semi-finals were Natasha Morrison, who was second to Jackson in 11.06 while Shian Hyde was a distant third in 11.50.
Sashalee Forbes advanced from Fraser-Pryce’s heat having run 11.13, close to her personal best of 11.10 while finishing second to the two-time Olympic 100m champion. Remona Burchell, the 2014 NCAA champion, showed the form that made her champion clocking 11.14, a brand new season-best and her fastest time since she ran 11.07 in 2017.
Natalliah Whyte (11.13) and Shockoria Wallace (11.22) advanced from Thompson-Herah’s heat while Kemba Nelson ran 11.05 and Kevona Davis (11.19) advanced from Williams’ heat.
Briana Williams, the national U20 record holder at 10.97, showed that she will not be outrun by anyone cruising to an 11.00 clocking to also advance from Heat 4 along with Kemba Nelson (11.05) and Kevona Davis (11.19).
Ashanti Moore (11.15), Kashieka Cameron (11.28), Jodean Williams (11.45) and Schillonie Calvert-Powell (11.53) are also through to Friday’s semis.
Meanwhile, Blake looked like the sprinter of a decade ago when only Usain Bolt was faster when he eased to a 10.03 clocking to win his heat. Davonte Burnett was the second-fastest through to the semi-finals when he won his heat in 10.05.
Burnett, whose father is Jamaican, grew up in Massachusetts and attends the University of Southern California. He was fifth in the NCAA Division I finals in 10.19.
Julian Forte and Oblique Seville both looked good while crossing the line together in their heat in 10.08, similar to what happened in the opening heat with Tyquendo Tracey and Nigel Ellis, who were both credited with 10.13.
Romario Williams, who clocked 10.27, also advanced from that heat.
Also advancing to Friday’s semi-finals were Senoj-jay Givans (10.20), Oshane Bailey (10.26), Andre Ewers (10.22), Bryan Levell (10.25), Jelani Walker (10.32), Michael Campbell (10.25), Ashanie Smith (10.25), Jevaughn Minzie (10.27) and Ramone Barnswell (10.32).
