Williams, 27, who won the bronze medal in the 100m hurdles at the 2019 World Championships in Doha last October, clocked a fast 23.12 to win the event. The time was well below her previous best of 23.43 set in Birmingham, Alabama on March 9, 2013.
In 2019, Williams a severe ankle sprain hampered her pre-season preparations. This year, things have been much different.
“Background training has been going well. This is the first indoor season in three years that I haven't been injured so I've been able to put in some work and this race is an indication of that,” she told Sportmax.TV Sunday.
Williams, the 2015 World Champion, had an outstanding year in 2019 when she won the Diamond League title and set a new national record of 12.32s in London. She capped off the year winning the bronze medal in Doha.
With all that now behind her, she said she is focussed on her preparation in this Olympic year and enjoying herself.
“Last World's had no bearings on yesterday's race. It was all about competing and having fun in an event I don't get to race often,” she said.
“Any lessons I've taken from the last season in its entirety is to focus on what I can control, drown out the noise and just compete.”
Williams first won the second heat of the preliminaries in 7.37 before crossing the line in 7.25 in the final, narrowly behind Georgia sophomore Kaila Jackson who won in 7.19. Another Georgia sophomore, Autumn Wilson, ran 7.28 in third.
The men’s event was won by Jamaican Georgia freshman Jehlani Gordon. The former Wolmer’s Boys sprinter won the second preliminary heat in 6.74, the fourth fastest time in the prelims, before returning to win the final in a personal best 6.60, the third fastest time ever by Georgia athlete. Campbell senior Jamal Miller and Clemson senior Cameron Rose ran 6.64 and 6.65, respectively, in second and third.
A pair of Jamaicans, Lafranz Campbell and Gianno Roberts, finished first and second in the men’s 60m hurdles with times of 7.74 and 7.76, respectively. North Colorado junior Jerome Campbell ran 7.78 for third.
Clemson sophomore Oneka Wilson ran 8.31 for third in the women’s equivalent behind Amber Hughes (8.19) and Cortney Jones (8.21).
Charokee Young ran 1:29.45 for second in the women’s 600m behind Clemson freshman Gladys Chepngetich (1:28.22). Quanera Hayes ran 1:29.49 in third.
Clemson senior Tarees Rhoden was second in the men’s equivalent in a personal best 1:16.10. Garden State Track Club’s Jake Ulrich took the win in 1:15.94 while Georgia Tech senior Jameson Miller ran a personal best 1:18.83 in third.
In the field, Jamaican Clemson senior Marie Forbes dominated the field to win the women’s weight with a best throw of 22.20m, a season best. Kennesaw State junior Kali Tezra threw 19.32m for second while Georgia junior Kelsie Murrell-Ross threw 18.63m for third.
Forbes’ schoolmate and countrywoman, Shantae Foreman, produced a personal best 13.39m to win the women’s triple jump ahead of the Kennesaw State pair of senior Alana Mack (12.20m) and sophomore Victoria Joyce (12.05m).
