Junior Barnett

However, after his 6.59s run that eventually placed him second to world-record holder Christian Coleman, the 19-year-old University of Albany sophomore has now been thrust into the spotlight as perhaps the next big sprinter from Jamaica.

Coleman won the race in a season-best 6.47 with 200m World Champion Noah Lyles finishing second in 6.53, just shy of his personal best. However, he was disqualified for a false start, resulting in Williams being promoted to second.

At the time, the 6.59 made him the fastest Jamaican in the world over the distance this season.

The son of Winston Rowe and Averil Leweing, Travis grew up in St. Ann, Jamaica and attended York Castle High School. He said he competed at the ISSA Boys and Girls Championships in 2017 and 2018 but emphasized that he wasn’t very good.

“I ran like 11.1 in Jamaica, nothing spectacular,” he said.

He migrated to New York in 2018 and enrolled at Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx where he lettered all four years in track & field and was team captain as a senior.

While at Cardinal Hayes he was the 2021 4x200m national champion, the 2020 New Balance All-American as well as the 2021 Catholic High School Athletics Association (CHSAA) MVP.

He signed to attend the University at Albany in the fall of 2021 but hampered by injury, his freshman year anything but spectacular.

“Last season, there was a lot of ups and downs, I was hurt. I broke seven seconds in the 60m, one time. Then I ran 6.98, that was nothing spectacular,” Travis said.

However, Assistant Sprint Coach Junior Burnett recognized the potential in the young sprinter.

“Travis came to college running 6.95 in the 60m dash. (He) never knew how to execute the phases of sprinting. He learned how to develop the correct drive-phase angles, got stronger during the summer and the rest is history,” he said.

History took some amount of work, though, and it seems to be paying off for the emerging sprinter.

“Coming into this season, I had the right off-season training. It (the Millrose time) was no shock. I always told myself I was going to fast but I didn’t know it was going to be 6.59 fast,” said an excited Williams, who spoke with Sportsmax.TV earlier this week.

The first signs of what was to come began to emerge on December 2, 2022 when Travis ran 6.67 for second place in the 60m final at the Crowell Open.

A week later, he ran 6.67 again to win the dash at the Joe Donahue Games Opener having run 6.75 in the preliminaries.

He didn’t race again until January 21, 2023, when once again, he clocked 6.67 to win at the Boston University Battle in Beantown before a 6.70 run for another win at the Dr Sander Invitational Columbia Challenge.

“This is a breakthrough season for me, to be honest. My teammate, Shakur Williams, ran 6.66 and I ran 6.67 behind him. I said, ‘Hold on! I just opened my season with a 6.67 then we had a four-week break and came from the same place I left off so I was like, ‘alright, I’m consistent so at one of these meets my time will drop, I was just looking for that drop.

“So I ran 6.67 three times. I was a little upset with that but it was just setting me up for a big drop.”

The week before the Millrose Games, Travis ran 6.68 in the preliminaries and then 6.64 to win the 60m final at the Clemson Elite track meet. That performance got him invited to Millrose where the big drop finally came.

Coach Burnett believes he can go even faster but it will take time.

“Travis has the potential to run 6.49 in the 60m, but it is going to take him some time to learn the things required. (I am) hoping for 10.00/9.95 come summer,” he said.

Travis is also looking forward to the summer when Jamaica will host its national championships to select a team to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Travis intends to be in Jamaica to take a shot at qualifying.

I am definitely targeting competing at the Jamaican trials and booking a spot on the team to Worlds. That was always on my agenda. No matter what, I am going to trials this year,” he said.

“This (the 6.59) definitely sets me up for a great season outdoors. I will definitely be going to trials.”

The summer is a long way off so for now, Travis will lock in on what is immediately ahead.

“I am targetting 10.1 but I could go faster but for right now that’s my target. My focus now is on indoor and indoor nationals, but I will definitely be there for trials.”

His coach, meanwhile, is pleased with the progress the young sprinter has been showing this season.

The 19-year-old sophomore at the University at Albany in New York established a new conference record, championship and school record of 6.64 while storming to victory in the 60m dash. The time was just off his lifetime of 6.59 set at the Millrose Games on February 11.

Later in the day, he clocked 20.89, also a championship and conference record to win the 200m and take the sprint double at the championships, capping a fantastic weekend for the emerging sprinter, whose previous indoor best was 21.71.

“It felt great! The 60m record was always up for grabs it was just me that had to go do what was needed to be done,” he told Sportsmax.TV.

“The 200m record was what really shocked me because I always knew I was going to run something fast but I never knew it was going to be anywhere near 20.89. I guess I underestimated my abilities to pull off a 20-point indoor.”

The performances, he said, have been a fillip as he prepares for the NCAA Division 1 nationals in Albuquerque, New Mexico in three weeks.

“It was a huge confidence booster because I know it’s only going to translate over more to my 60m over the next three weeks and hopefully pull off a win. I know I have the capabilities to do something great it’s just up to me to do what needs to be done.”

Assistant Coach for Sprints at Albany Junior Burnett revealed that he was impressed by Williams’ showing on the weekend and indicated that he has been making progress in training.

“It was a great weekend for Travis and the short sprinters. I feel very happy for his success on the track, performances, victories, and records. After a great week of training, it was fabulous to see these records go down,” Coach Burnett said.

“Travis executed his races very well. He remained focused on the details for success. He didn’t perform to his competition level, but out-performed them.

“His level of confidence going in was high and that propelled him to these victories and records. Just running with Christian Coleman and beating him to 20m is big for him.”

The coach said Travis has been making good progress this season and continues to do so as he prepares for nationals.

“I am pleased with his progress at this point in time. He is doing must things asked of him,” Coach Burnett said.

“He has the NCAA D1 national meet in three weeks in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Preparation will be geared towards that. So he has to remain locked in to detail for the next 15 days in order to achieve the goals set.

“He is grasping the things asked of him in each training session - Correct blocks clearance, acceleration angles and transition phase and relax max velocity.”

Travis’ performance at Millrose and again at the America East Championships have put him in the spotlight, Coach Burnett believes, and it has been deserved because of the work the young sprinter has been putting in to get where he is now.

“Travis breaking two conference records opened many eyes across US East and West Coast. People are looking at what he’s doing in Albany, New York,” the proud coach said.

“These records are testament of his hard work, confidence in training and system of training. We have a great training and practice environment at Albany with the likes of Shakur Williams and others create winning atmosphere.”