I did it my way - Williams-Mills

LONDON, England:

Novlene Williams-Mills will today compete in her final individual race at the World Championships in the final of the 400m inside the London Stadium.

Williams-Mills, 35, who will run from lane 2, is competing in her seventh World Championships. She said she wants to be remembered as a strong competitor, someone who always gave her all regardless of the challenges in front of her.

The quarter-mile stalwart has been a constant on Jamaican teams at international championships since the 2004 Olympics in Athens when she made it to the 400m semi-finals and helped Jamaica to a bronze medal in the 4x400m relays.

She has represented the country at every Olympic Games and World Championships since then, with stellar participation also coming at other international competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and World Indoor Championships.

Heading into tonight's final, which gets underway at 9:50 p.m. (3:50 p.m. Jamaica time), Williams-Mills boasts a World Championships gold medal, three Olympic silver and one bronze, four World Championships silver plus a bronze; as well as Commonwealth Games gold, silver and bronze.

"I want to be remembered as a fierce competitor, the one who does not back down regardless of what she goes through in life," said Williams-Mills, who famously competed at the 2012 Olympic Games and helping Jamaica to a 4x400m silver, shortly after learning that she had breast cancer.

Breast cancer survivor

"The one thing that people really associate me with is being a breast cancer survivor but I am more than that and I know I have been a great competitor over the past couple years," she said.

Williams-Mills placed third in her heat and semi-final at the London 2017 World Championships with times of 51.00 and 50.67 seconds.

She is not among the favourites for a medal but will play a key role as Jamaica look to defend the relay gold they won in Beijing two years ago on the back of a monster anchor leg from the veteran athlete.

That remains among her fondest memories on the track.

"There are a lot of great memories but I always tell people that everything after 2012 are things I hold dear to my heart and 2015 was one of them for that 4x400m gold that we won," Williams-Mills said. "Just to watch and go back to that race and the reaction on my teammates' faces was priceless and that's something I will hold dear to my heart."

Felix, Miller-Uibo and Jackson will join her in the final and whatever the outcome, Williams-Mills is comfortable in knowing that she will sign off like she started - by giving her best.