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Williams focused; staying in her ‘zone’
January 27, 2025
Fans in attendance at the Queen's Grace Jackson Invitational meet were in high expectation, eagerly anticipating the return of World 200 metres champion Shericka Jackson, whose season ended early at the Paris Olympics last year due to injury.
Jackson made a return to the track at Saturday's meet inside the National Stadium in the women' s 60 metres, her first competitive race for the season.
When her name was announced, there was a large roar from the fair-sized crowd at the meet where she normally opens her season. Last season was an exception.
However, it was not the winning start for Jackson that many were expecting.
Jodean Williams out of SprintTec Track Club spoilt her party after getting a flyer at the start, upstaging Jackson to clock a personal-best 7.15 seconds. It was an improvement on her previous best of 7.16 seconds, which was done at the Milo Western Relays last year at G.C. Foster College of Sport and Physical Education.
Jackson, who got a slow start, rallied in the end for second place in 7.18 seconds.
The 31-year-old Williams had a very good season last year and looked on course to making it to the Olympics, but saw her chances blown away at the National Senior Championships after a very slow start in the semi-finals of the women's 100 metres.
The former St Mary High School athlete, who spent five years at The University of the West Indies, where she pursued gender studies and social psychology, is in her second season at the Maurice Wilson-led SprinTec Track Club that is based at G.C. Foster College in Spanish Town. She had prior stints at Swept and Racers Track clubs.
Williams, who started her season the previous week winning the 400 metres at the Central Hurdles and Relay meet, where she clocked 53.84 seconds, is hoping to make up for last year's disappointment in not making it to the Olympic Games, stating that she loves competing and likes staying in her zone.
"I always put Jesus first as I am a spiritual person; I always call on Him to execute. For me, it is just to stay in my zone," she said, noting that she has full confidence in her coach Maurice Wilson and his assistants.
Asked if she felt nervous ahead of her matchup with Jackson, she said: "The focus was just on me and my lane, as in training, the mantra is learning to be focused and stay humble. Even after competing a race I am still focused," she shared.
Williams says she is using last year's mistakes to help her going forward.
"Nerves got the better of me in the semi-finals of the 100 metres at the National Championships last year, as I was really late out of the blocks. I usually go out fast, but we do learn from our mistakes, and I am using that disappointment now as a positive to make me more focused," she stated.
Asked when she will take the track again, Williams says that is her coach's decision.
"I just decide on the flow of things with my coach, as he is the one who makes that decision, and I do trust him."
In relation to her expectations, the sprinter said: "Jodean is a humble person who enjoys competing. I am always going out there to have fun and I always put God in front."
