Ackera Nugent, the newly crowned national 100m hurdles champion and Jamaica's record-holder, continues to dazzle on the track with a stellar performance in the 100m at the Ed Murphy Classic in Tennessee.

The rising star showcased her speed proving she is a force to be reckoned with as she prepares for her Olympic debut in Paris later this month.

In the women's 100m event, Nugent blazed through the heats, clocking an impressive 11.15s to qualify with the fastest time heading into Friday's finals. In the final showdown into a headwind of 0.9m/s, Nugent ran a swift 11.17s, securing a commendable second place behind Nigeria’s Favor Ofili, who won with a time of 11.13 seconds. Liberia’s Maia McCoy finished third, crossing the line in 11.32 seconds.

Nugent's performance is drawing already comparisons to the legendary American Gail Devers, celebrated for her achievements in both the 100m and 100m hurdles. Despite her primary focus being on the hurdles, Nugent expressed satisfaction with her 100m run, stating, "This was just to get a little speed work in before Paris. I'm pleased with my time, considering I'm not specifically training for the 100m. Running 11.1 in the 100m is satisfying. I have a fondness for the event, even though it's not my focus."

Nugent's performance at the Ed Murphy Classic highlights her versatility and potential as she continues her preparation for the Olympics. Her ability to excel in both the hurdles and the 100m sprints adds a dynamic edge to her athletic profile, making her one to watch in Paris.

Adding to the Jamaican contingent's impressive showing, Danielle Williams also demonstrated fine form in the 100m hurdles. The 31-year-old, who will be making her Olympic debut after securing two gold medals and a bronze at the World Championships, finished third with a time of 12.81 seconds. Denisha Cartwright of the Bahamas clocked 12.73 seconds to take second place, while Christina Clemons of the USA won the event in 12.61 seconds.

Jamaican national high jump champion Romaine Beckford warmed up for his Olympic debut in a few weeks with a win at the 2024 Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis on Thursday.

Beckford, the 22-year-old two-time NCAA Champion, produced a winning jump of 2.20m on his only attempt at the height after producing clearances at 2.10m and 2.20m.

He then had three failed attempts at 2.25m after he had done enough to secure victory ahead of American Vernon Turner (2.15m) and Bahamian Shaunie Miller Jr (2.15m).

Elsewhere in the field on Thursday, Chanice Porter produced 6.50m to finish second in the women’s long jump while Bermuda’s Jah-Nhai Perinchief won the men’s triple jump.

The 30-year-old Porter, who will also be representing the nation in Paris, produced 6.50 in the sixth and final round of the competition to move up into the top three.

The competition was won by Nigerian Ruth Usoro with 6.70m while Trinidad & Tobago’s Tyra Gittens was third with 6.35m.

Perinchief produced 16.82m to win the triple jump ahead of Americans Omar Craddock (16.64m) and Chris Bernard (16.30m).

The meet continued on Friday with the track events. Newly crowned national 100m hurdles champion and record holder, Ackera Nugent, ran 11.17 to finish second in the women’s 100m behind Nigeria’s Favor Ofili (11.13). Liberia’s Maia McCoy was third in 11.32.

The women’s sprint hurdles saw Bahamian Denisha Cartwright produce 12.71 for second behind American Christina Clemons (12.61). Jamaican two-time World champion Danielle Williams ran 12.81 in third.

World Indoor 60m champion and record holder Devynne Charlton officially booked her spot at this summer’s Paris Olympics by claiming her sixth Bahamian 100m hurdles title on day two at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Senior National Championships at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau on Thursday.

The highlight of day two was the women’s 100 meters hurdles final where Charlton was expected to be challenged by the versatile Charisma Taylor and 30-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II All-American Denisha Cartwright.

In the end, Charlton comfortably took the win in 12.62 seconds while Taylor was a distant second in 12.94 seconds. Cartwright rounded out the top three with 13.01 seconds.

All three are headed to the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.

Texas Tech sophomore and former World U-20 Champion Antoine Andrews took the men’s 110m hurdles crown with a new personal best 13.34, eclipsing the previous national record 13.35 he shared with Jahmaal Wilson.

Rasheem Brown of the Cayman Islands was second in 13.50 while Otto Laing finished third in 14.03 seconds.

Due to a scheduling conflict, former world and current Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner missed the men’s 400m final last night. It was up to Wendell Miller and Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell to carry the mantle.

However, they would fall short of the qualifying standard for the Olympics of 45 seconds flat.

Miller won the national title in 45.65 seconds. Russell finished second in 46.06 seconds and Gregory Seymour was third in 47.54 seconds.

The women’s 400m final, featuring former world and current Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and the lady who beat her in the heats Javonya Valcourt, will be ran on Friday.

Over to the field events, Shyrone Kemp pulled off an upset in the men’s long jump, winning that event with a leap of 7.66m. LaQuan Nairn, an 8m-plus jumper, had to settle for second with a jump of 7.58m while Jalen Cadet finished third with a jump of 7.16m.

Nairn has a personal best leap of 8.22m and the qualifying distance for the Olympics is 8.27m.

Anthaya Charlton won the women’s long jump event with a leap of 5.99m. Apryl Adderley was a distant second with a leap of 5.16m. The qualifying distance for the Olympics is 6.86m.

Two-time World Championship bronze medalist and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sada Williams headlines a star-studded list of Barbados’s top athletes set to compete at their National Track and Field Championships from June 21-23.

Williams, who trains at the MVP Track Club in Jamaica under the tutelage of Stephen Francis, is her country’s biggest medal hopeful for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games having already qualified.

The 26-year-old will contest the women’s 400m event at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex in Bridgetown.

The Bajan national record holder has, so far, had a sub-par 2024 season by her lofty standards, failing to dip below 50 seconds in all five of her 400m races.

Her season’s best 50.71 came at the Oslo Diamond League on May 30.

Williams created history at 2022 World Athletics Championships in Oregon by winning 400m bronze in a then-personal best and national record 49.75 seconds.

Later that year, Williams became the first woman to run under 50 seconds at the Commonwealth Games with 49.90 to capture gold. She closed out 2022 with a third-place finish at the Diamond League Final in Zurich in 49.98.

She followed up that fantastic season with another bronze medal at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

Williams produced a personal best and national record 49.58 in the semi-finals before returning to run slightly slower in the final, 49.60, to claim consecutive bronze medals.

Also confirmed for the Barbados nationals are Olympians Mario Burke and Tristan Evelyn who are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 100m events respectively.

Burke, 27, has a personal best of 9.98 done back in 2019 and was an Olympian in Tokyo in 2021. In 2016, he took home 100m bronze at the World Junior Championships in Poland in 10.26. He has a season's best of 10.22 done at the Last Chance Sprint Series on June 7 in Sherman Oakes, California.

Hurdlers Tia-Adana Belle and Rasheeme Griffith are also among the big names, along with quarter miler Desean Boyce and former CARIFTA sprinters Julian Forde and Kishawna Niles.

Griffith, a senior at the University on Tennessee, established a new 400m hurdles national record of 48.79 in the heats at the SEC Championships on May 9.

CARIFTA Games gold medalist Layla Haynes and Hannah Connell as well as national javelin record holder Kayla Thorpe are also set to compete.

National 110m hurdles record holder Omar McLeod continued his resurgence this season with a winning effort at the Paavo Nurmi Games, a Word Athletics Continental Tour-Gold event in Turku, Finland on Tuesday.

The 2016 Olympic and 2017 World champion produced a season’s best 13.25 to win the final of the men’s sprint hurdles ahead of Belgium’s Elie Bacari (13.38) and Finland’s Elmo Lakka (13.43).

The 30-year-old earlier ran 13.29 to advance fastest from the heats.

The women’s sprint hurdles saw World Championships silver medallist Britany Anderson produce a season’s best 12.87 for sixth in the final after running 12.93 earlier in the heats.

The final was won by American World champion Nia Ali in 12.48 just ahead of Dutchwoman Nadine Visser (12.51). Ireland’s Sarah Lavin was third in 12.66.

This was McLeod’s third win in four events this season, with his previous two coming in Italy on May 15 and 19 with times of 13.37 and 13.47 at the Savona International Meeting and Lucca International Meeting, respectively.

Elsewhere, two-time World Championships triple jump silver medallist Shanieka Ricketts took the win in the women’s triple jump with a best jump of 14.17m coming in the first round of the competition.

Italy’s Dariya Derkach was second with 14.08m while Sweden’s Maja Askag was third with 14.06m.

Two-time World champion Anderson Peters threw 82.58m for fourth in the javelin throw behind India’s Neeraj Chopra (85.97m) and the Finnish pair of Toni Keranen (84.19m) and Oliver Helander (83.96m).

The anticipation for the 2024 Racers Grand Prix is reaching new heights as a stellar lineup of women athletes prepares to grace the track on Saturday, June 1, at the National Stadium. 

Since its inception in 2016, the Racers Grand Prix has become a cornerstone of the local track and field calendar, achieving World Athletics Continental Tour Silver status and attracting top-tier talent from around the globe. 

In the highly anticipated Women's 100m event, all eyes will be on the dynamic showdown between Julien Alfred and Alana Reid. Alfred, known for her explosive speed and technical prowess, is set to challenge the competition with her relentless drive for victory. Meanwhile, Reid brings a wealth of experience and determination, making her a formidable contender on the track. Reid is the Jamaican junior record holder for the women's 100m. 

Sports analyst and lead commentator of the Racers Grand Prix, Ricardo Chambers, when asked about predictions for the women's 100m said,

“This should be an interesting race. Julien Alfred hasn't competed since she finished 4th in 11.15 (+3.5) at the Texas Invitational on April 27. One of the women who beat her that day is the USA's Celera Barnes who is in this field. Alana Reid has been competing a lot. She's already run 8 100-metre races this year but has dipped under 11.20 only once. This is the time of year you expect especially the US and Jamaican athletes to start tapering for their trials, so I expect to see a much truer reflection of the form these athletes are in. Given how things have gone this season, there's no clear favourite and so the intrigue sets up a real fine race.” 

Shifting the focus to the Women's 100m Hurdles, fans can expect an exhilarating clash between Megan Tapper, Ackera Nugent, and Devynne Charlton. Tapper's agility and precision over the hurdles have earned her accolades on the international stage, while Nugent's emerging talent and raw speed make her a rising star to watch. Charlton, with her seasoned experience and strategic approach, adds depth to the competitive field, setting the stage for an unforgettable race. 

Commenting on the lineup of women athletes, Devon Blake, CEO of Racers Grand Prix, stated, "The women's events at this year's Racers Grand Prix exemplify the strength, talent, and dedication of female athletes in track and field. We are proud to showcase their exceptional skills and fierce competitiveness, contributing to the event's status as a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet." 

The Women's events at the Racers Grand Prix promise to deliver thrilling moments of athleticism, determination, and sportsmanship, highlighting the diversity and excellence of women's track and field. The action-packed matchups hit the track on June 1 as these remarkable athletes take center stage and inspire fans worldwide. 

The success of the Racers Grand Prix is made possible by the generous support of its esteemed sponsors. Leading the pack is Adidas, a longstanding partner whose commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with the event's ethos. The Sports Development Foundation's continuous partnership has been instrumental in elevating the meet to new heights year after year. KFC, Gatorade, JN Bank, Digicel, and Airport Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) bring their unique expertise and resources to enhance the spectator experience and showcase Jamaica's vibrant sporting culture on a global stage.

Danielle Williams, the reigning 2023 World Championships gold medallist in the 100m hurdles, is feeling optimistic about her chances of making her first Olympic team following a promising showing at the Jamaica Athletics Invitational in Kingston on Saturday night.

Despite finishing second in the 100m hurdles with a season-best time of 12.46, Williams displayed confidence and determination as she spoke about her performance and her preparations leading up to the national trials at the end of June.

Looking on, it appeared that Williams had an early lead before losing momentum mid-race which allowed world-record holder, Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan to surge through to out-lean Williams at the line.

Amusan won in a world-leading 12.40 with the USA’s Christina Clemons finishing third in 12.54.

Williams explained what she believed occurred in the race.

"I didn’t feel like I slowed down in the middle of the race. I touched one of the hurdles which has been my Achilles heel so far," Williams commented. "Still working on it so that was probably what happened but I feel like I was still able to get back the momentum to through to the end. I feel like we’re going in the right direction."

Williams highlighted the importance of being healthy this season, expressing gratitude for her current condition compared to previous years. "Oh, we give God thanks for that because for the past few seasons this time of the year I’ve always been dealing with something," she explained. "So to make it so far and we’re doing very good, we’re managing the injuries, I think we’re in a good spot."

Looking ahead to the upcoming national trials, which are six weeks away, Williams deferred to her coach, Lennox Graham, but emphasized her confidence in her current form. "I don’t necessarily know how close we are," she admitted. "Coach Lennox Graham designed the workouts, I just show up so I don’t know where we are for that but I know we are in very good shape. We’re doing awesome in training, we’re healthy so we’re just giving God glory and thanking Him for bringing us so far and asking Him to carry us for the rest of the way."

The Jamaica Athletics Invitational also witnessed strong performances from other athletes, including Daniel Roberts of the USA, who won the 110m hurdles in 13.17, and Eric Edwards, also from the USA, who finished second with a time of 13.33. Jamaican hurdler Lafranz Campbell secured third place in the event with a time of 13.37.

Jamaica now has another man under 1:46.00 in the 800m in the form of Clemson senior Tarees Rhoden.

Rhoden ran a personal best 1:45.97 to claim gold at the ACC Outdoor Championships in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday.

Wake Forest junior Rynard Swanepoel ran 1:46.69 for second while Virginia senior Shane Cohen ran 1:46.89 in third.

The 23-year-old former Kingston College standout, who was eighth in the final last season, entered Saturday’s race with a personal best of 1:46.20 done last April.

Clemson also took gold in the women's 100m hurdles through Jamaican sophomore Oneka Wilson who ran a brilliant personal best 12.87 to win ahead of Florida State's Alexandra Webster (13.04) and Duke's Skyla Wilson (13.26).

Wilson's previous personal best 13.00 was done on Friday in the prelims.

Jamaican Clemson junior Courtney Lawrence produced a personal best 19.75 to win shot put gold at the ACC Outdoor Championships in Atlanta on Friday.

The former Petersfield High standout and 2021 NACAC Under-23 champion produced three throws over 19m throughout his series to take the title ahead of Notre Dame’s Michael Schoaf (19.38m) and Wake Forest’s Thomas Kitchell (19.16m).

Jamaican Florida State sophomore Jordan Turner jumped 7.90m for second in the men’s long jump behind teammate Jeremiah Davis who jumped 7.97m for the win. Miami’s Russell Robinson was third with 7.82m.

Moving to the track where Lawrence’s schoolmate, Oneka Wilson, produced a personal best 13.00 to advance to the final of the women’s 100m hurdles as the fastest qualifier.

Another Jamaican Clemson standout, senior Tarees Rhoden, made it through to the final of the men's 800m with a 1:49.17 effort to finish second in his heat.

A pair of Jamaica’s representatives at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Wayne Pinnock and Ackera Nugent, were among a number of Caribbean winners at Saturday’s LSU Invitational in Baton Rouge.

Pinnock, who took long jump silver in Budapest, produced a wind-aided 8.44m (5.8 m/s) to claim victory in his first outdoor competition this season.

The 23-year-old Arkansas star, who won gold at both the SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships earlier this year, opened his competition with 8.15m in the first round before producing his winning distance in the second.

He had one more jump in the third round (8.25m) before passing on his final three attempts.

Florida State’s Curtis Williams was second with 7.99m while Florida’s Malcolm Clemons was third with 7.94m. Another Jamaican, Florida State’s Jordan Turner, produced 7.84m for fourth.

The women’s long jump was won by Bahamian Florida sophomore Anthaya Charlton with a best jump of 6.74m. Arkansas’s Nia Robinson was second with 6.70m while Georgia Tech’s Ameia Wilson was third with 6.56m.

In her fourth 100m hurdles race of the young season, Ackera Nugent, who was fifth in the final in Budapest, produced 12.57 to take victory ahead of Canada’s Mariam Abdul-Rashid (12.69) and LSU’s Leah Phillips (12.71).

Nugent’s season’s best, which currently stands at 12.52, was done in a fourth-place finish at the Tom Jones Invitational on April 13.

Arkansas also prevailed in the men’s high jump through another member of Jamaica’s team at last year’s World Championships, Romaine Beckford.

Beckford, the reigning NCAA indoor and outdoor and Jamaican national champion, had a best jump of 2.23m to win ahead of Georgia’s Riyon Rankin (2.20m) and his Arkansas teammate Kason O’Riley (2.20m).

Guyana’s Natricia Hooper produced 13.92m to win the women’s triple jump ahead of Mylana Hearn (13.78m) and LSU’s Morgan Smalls (13.17m).

Arkansas’s Apalos Edwards jumped 16.43m for second in the men’s equivalent won by Air Houston’s Chris Carter (16.70m). Florida State’s Kyvon Tatham jumped 16.00m for third.

The women’s 400m saw Vincentian 800m record holder Shafiqua Maloney and reigning Jamaican national champion and Arkansas star Nickisha Pryce run 51.29 and 51.35 for second and third, respectively, behind American Alexis Holmes who ran 50.80 to win.

Jamaica’s Lashanna Graham ran 58.16 for third in the women’s 400m hurdles behind American Anna Cockrell (54.74) and Georgia’s Dominique Mustin (56.52).

Florida’s Jevaughn Powell ran 20.28 to take second in the men’s 200m behind Arkansas’s Makanakaishe Charamba who won in 20.11. Arkansas’s Lance Lang ran 20.36 in third.

Powell also represented Jamaica in Budapest, running in the heats of the 4x400m relay.

Dom Rep’s Marileidy Paulino followed up her triumph at the season’s Diamond League opener in Xiamen last week with another victory at the Shanghai Diamond League on Saturday.

The reigning World champion produced 50.89 to win ahead of American Talitha Diggs who ran 51.77 and Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams who ran 52.00 in third.

Paulino’s winning streak in the 400m has now stretched to seven races.

It was déjà vu in the women’s 100m hurdles as reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho Quinn just pipped World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton on the line, just as it played out in Xiamen last week.

Camacho-Quinn ran 12.63 compered to Charlton’s 12.64. Two-time World champion Danielle Williams was third in 12.74.

The men’s 110m hurdles saw American Daniel Roberts get his second win in a row to kick off the Diamond League season. His winning time was 13.12, comfortably ahead of Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.23) and Olympic champion Hansle Parchment’s season’s best 13.26.

The Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino kicked off her 2024 season with a comfortable win in the women’s 400m at the season’s opening Diamond League meet in Xiamen on Saturday.

Paulino, the reigning World champion, ran an easy 50.08 to take the win over Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (50.29) and the USA’s Britton Wilson (51.26). Barbadian two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams was fourth in 51.97.

Paulino, who is developing an impressive level of dominance in the event, last lost a 400m race on July 16 last year when she was third at the Silesia Diamond League.

Since then, the 27-year-old has won six races in a row. She was victorious in all three of her individual races at last year’s World Championships in Budapest before winning at both the 2023 Xiamen Diamond League and Prefontaine Classic, which also served as the 2023 Diamond League Final.

The women’s 100m hurdles saw Bahamian newly crowned World Indoor 60m hurdles champion and world record holder Devynne Charlton be narrowly beaten by reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

Charlton, as is customary with someone strong in the 60m hurdles, got her usual bullet start but was unable to hold off the fast-finishing Camacho-Quinn in the end. The Puerto Rican’s winning time was a meet record 12.45 while Charlton’s time was 12.49 in second.

France’s Cyrena Samba-Mayela, who took silver behind Charlton at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, ran a personal best and national record 12.55 in third.

Jamaican two-time World champion Danielle Williams was fourth in a season’s best 12.56.

The men’s sprint hurdles saw reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment and Orlando Bennett run 13.33 and 13.58 for sixth and eighth, respectively.

American Daniel Roberts took the win in 13.11 ahead of countryman Cordell Tinch (13.16) and Japan’s Shunsuke Izumiya (13.17).

In the meet’s final race, Jamaican World Indoor bronze medallist Ackeem Blake ran a season’s best 10.20 for third in the men’s 100m. American 2019 World champion Christian Coleman took the win in 10.13 while countryman Fred Kerley, the 2022 World champion, ran 10.17 for second. Jamaica's reigning national champion Rohan Watson ran a season's best 10.27 in fourth.

Track & Field fans around the world will be treated to an exciting clash in the women’s 100m hurdles at the season’s opening Diamond League meet in Xiamen on Saturday.

Jamaica’s two-time World champion, Danielle Williams, will take on newly crowned World Indoor 60m champion and record holder, Devynne Charlton, as well as 2021 Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper.

World record holder Tobi Amusan and reigning Olympic champion Jasmine Camacho-Quinn are also set to line up on Saturday along with Americans Alaysha Johnson and Masai Russell.

The field is completed by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, 2022 World Indoor champion Cyrena Samba-Mayela and China’s Yanni Wu.

Reigning Olympic champion Hansle Parchment will compete alongside countryman Orlando Bennett in the 110mm hurdles.

Bajan two-time World Championship bronze medallist Sada Williams will line up in the 400m alongside Guyana’s Aliyah Abrams.

Bahamian Anthonique Strachan will take on some of the world’s best in the 200m.

Finally, Jamaica’s World Indoor 60m bronze medallist Ackeem Blake, 2011 World 100m champion Yohan Blake and reigning national 100m champion Rohan Watson will all line up in the 100m against a stacked field including the likes of American world champions Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.

Bahamians Antoine Andrews and Denisha Cartwright won the respective sprint hurdles titles at the 2024 Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays held at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas from March 27-30.

Andrews, a sophomore at Texas Tech University and 2022 World Under-20 champion, produced 13.37 to win the 110m hurdles with a 2.4 m/s wind behind him.

Howard University’s Samuel Bennett was second in 13.39 while UTEP’s Jordani Woodley, formerly of Rusea’s High in Jamaica, was third in 13.44.

Cartwright, a 24-year-old Minnesota State senior, produced 12.81 to win the 100m hurdles ahead of UTEP’s Marissa Simpson (12.92) and Cal’s Jada Hicks (12.99).

That race was run with a 2.7 m/s trailing wind.

In the field, Jamaican Arizona State junior Brandon Lloyd threw 61.54m for second in the men’s discus. South Alabama senior Francois Prinsloo threw 64.41m to take the win while Texas Tech senior Devin Roberson was third with 60.98m.

Having clinched two world titles, Danielle Williams is on a mission to secure her spot on the Jamaican Olympic team after falling short in previous attempts. Determined to overcome the injuries that have disrupted her preparation in recent seasons, Williams has taken extra measures this year, including the addition of a massage therapist to her team.

Williams, who surprised the world by claiming the 100m hurdles gold in Budapest last season, acknowledges the challenges of building on that success. "It's a brand new year, and we start from scratch," she states. Reflecting on the lessons learned from the previous season, she aims to improve consistency in crucial areas to ensure peak performance at every race.

Addressing the recurring issue of early-season injuries, Williams explains her strategy for navigating this obstacle. "I added a massage therapist, who is there at the track every single day now," she reveals. This proactive approach allows the therapist to monitor and address potential issues before they escalate into injuries, providing Williams with the necessary support to maintain her health throughout the season.

With the world record now at 12.12 and several sprint hurdlers capable of times of 12.2s, Williams believes she has it in her to approach those times but offers a caveat to that objective.

"The conditions have to be perfect, and I can't control the conditions," she admits. Despite the challenges, she expresses her desire to run a personal best every time she competes but emphasizes the difficulty of achieving such feats due to continuous training without breaks from meets.

“Every time I step on the track I want to run a personal best but it's just that's not going to be the case just based on how training is lined up and we don't we don't take breaks from meets, so we train right through. The only meets we take breaks for are the national championship and the world championship, so it's definitely going to be difficult.”

Notwithstanding those challenges, she feels she is capable of exceeding her 12.32 personal best set in 2019. "I definitely know that I have it within me; it's just to get out and execute it on the day," she asserts.

With her eyes set on the upcoming season and the Olympic trials, Williams is determined to overcome past setbacks, stay injury-free, and potentially surpass her personal best, aiming for even greater heights with the ultimate prize being an Olympic medal.