Jamaican sprint star Briana Williams is determined to bounce back after a challenging outing at the recent JAAA/Puma National Senior and Junior Championships in Kingston.
The 2018 World Under-20 double sprint champion endured a difficult few days at the National Stadium, falling short of expectations in both the 100m and 200m events.
Williams, 23, opened her championships campaign on June 27 with an 11.37 clocking to place second in her 100m heat. However, she missed out on a spot in the final after finishing third in her semi-final with a time of 11.20, a result far from her season’s best. To compound her disappointment, Williams was disqualified from the 200m final following a false start.
The performance was particularly disheartening given that just two weeks earlier, at the Last Chance Sprint Series Distance Carnival in Sherman Oaks, California, Williams appeared to be regaining top form. She delivered impressive victories in two 100m races, clocking 11.03 and 11.04, along with a swift 22.69 in the 200m, results that hinted at a strong showing back on home soil.
In the aftermath of the championships, Williams took to Instagram to express her gratitude to fans, family, and supporters who rallied around her during the tough moments.
“My deepest gratitude to each and every one of you who has taken the time to reach out with words of encouragement, support and love. Your well wishes and prayers have touched my heart in ways you may never know,” she told Sportsmax.
Williams also made it clear that despite the setback, her journey is far from over.
“To my beloved Jamaica, I’m forever grateful for the unwavering love and support you’ve consistently shown me. Though trials wasn’t the way how I expected it to be, I will use this as fuel to come back stronger. It’s not over yet,” she added.
As one of Jamaica’s brightest sprinting prospects, Williams remains focused on regaining her best form. Fans can expect the resilient sprinter to return to the track with renewed purpose as she plots her next moves on the international circuit.