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Williams happy to get season’s best
June 20, 2023
Olympic and World Championships relay medallist Briana Williams' emotions could hardly be contained after her season's best performance at the JAAA Quest For Budapest series meet on Saturday, basking in an effort that she feels is her breakthrough meet, with the National Championships closing in.
Williams clocked 11.04 seconds to win with an excellent start that saw off Elite Performance's Kemba Nelson, who was second in 11.18 and SprintTec's Ramona Burchell with 11.20 and who defeated her in their last meeting.
It hasn't been an ideal season for Williams in her first year with Titans Track Club, struggling with injuries and below-average performances, but said Saturday was the game-changing meet that she had been hoping for.
"This was the breakthrough. I don't give up, and I have people around me my coaches, my mother, Ato (Bolton), and my teammates especially, who keep pushing me. I never gave up. I was sad sometimes because I was like, 'why I'm not getting there'? They said, 'Briana, patience. Put in the work and trust the process. That is what I'm doing," Williams told STAR Sports.
She credited the steadfast approach of coaches Gregory Little and Michael Frater, who kept her on the long-term goal this season.
"All season, we have been working very very hard. I have to thank them a lot. They have been working with me no matter what. No matter the results from meets before or the months before, they always work on the things that were bad in the last race, and here we are with a season's best and a great finish," Williams said.
Williams is now tied with the University of Texas' Kevona Davis as the fifth-fastest Jamaican this year. She will turn to this Saturday's New York Grand Prix to fine-tune her preparations for the National Championships next month.
Williams said that trusting the process despite the setbacks has been the reason for being in the hunt for a spot on the 100 metres team.
"When you are going into a new programme, there are changes, your body changes. You are going to get injuries, it's normal, it happens. You have to trust the process, get back healthy and stay true to yourself," Williams said.
