Williams keeps sprint options open

After a season where injuries forced his hand, Jamaica-trained British sprinter, Delano Williams, is keeping his options open.

The former Munro College champion sprinter set a personal best over 400 metres in 2015 and was consistently fast for Great Britain's 4x400 metre team. He hasn't, however, turned his back on the event in which he was World Junior champion, the 200 metres.

The Turks and Caicos native set a new 400m lifetime best of 45.42 seconds in the B race at the Jamaica Invitational and clicked off relay legs timed in 44.3 and 44.5 for Great Britain. However, his efforts at 200 metres were hampered by niggling hamstring trouble. It caused him to stop while running for the University of the West Indies at the Jamaica Inter-collegiate Championships in March. Quizzed on his event choices in 2015 and in the future, he said, "It shows where my strengths are, I guess, and when my quarters are fast, my 200m are fast."

With regard to the niggles that kept him from racing at the British World Championships trials at 200 metres, he explained: "This year was kind of up and down for me but, nevertheless, the 400 metres was the right way to go for this year."

Though his portfolio includes 100/200 sprint doubles for Munro at ISSA Boys and Girls' Championships, Williams has always been a whiz in the 4x400m. He was a key man in victories by Munro at Champs and the Penn Relays until his sojourn there ended in 2013.

Looking forward

Reunited with his former Munro coach Neil Harrison for the 2015 campaign, Williams is optimistic about the upcoming Olympic year.

"Every year when I train with coach Harrison, I PB", he said using track lingo to denote the establishment of a new personal best, "and I know next season will be better."

His confidence is boosted by help he has received from UK Athletics, the British track and field federation, with his troublesome hamstring.

He was especially pleased to win a bronze in the World Championship 4x400m relay.

"We have a great squad", he said, "when we put the right four guys we'll get a medal."

He extends that thought to the 4x100m. In a reference to his World Championship room-mate, 200m finalist Zharnel Hughes, and European 200 champion Adam Gemili, he postulated, "You have Adam Gemili, me, him ..., you put us on a 4x100m one day and you never know what can happen."

As far as individual events are concerned, he is keeping his options open. Asked about his dream for the 2016 season, he said, "Rio 200m final, I'd love to make that." Then he added, "If not, the 400m final. Who knows?"