Briana Williams faces Richardson at NYC Grand Prix
Published:Sunday | June 12, 2022 | 12:10 AMDaniel Wheeler - Staff Reporter
AFTER EQUALLING her personal best in the 100 metres in Kingston a week ago, Olympic 4x100m gold medalist Briana Williams hopes to continue that form at the New York City (NYC) Grand Prix this afternoon, starting at midday.
Williams will be part of a big Jamaican contingent competing at the ninth World Continental Tour Gold event of the season. She will face American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson in the women’s 100m. Tokyo Olympic 200m bronze medallist Gabby Thomas was scheduled to compete in the 100 and 200m but pulled out of the meet because of an injury. Williams equalled her personal best of 10.97 at the final Jubilee series meet in Kingston. It was a performance that her coach Ato Boldon said will further their preparations as they anticipate a tough National Championships in two weeks’ time.
“We’re going to continue to sharpen for what is probably going to be the most competitive Jamaican Nationals ever. I don’t ever recall high school, pros and everybody else running as fast as everybody in Jamaica is, and that’s why I had to change things this year. I can’t have her show up this year thinking that 10.9 is going to make the team. That’s not smart,” Bolton said in an interview on Wednesday.
Boldon went further to say that Williams competing in Jamaica was the best tonic for her after her ninth-place finish at the Prefontaine Classic last month.
“After Pre (Prefontaine), I talked to her. I said, ‘Okay, what happened?’ She said, ‘I felt flat’. As an ex-sprinter, I know exactly how that happens, coming off a very heavy load. She said, ‘Coach, I want to go to Jamaica. I can feel it. It’s coming. I just need to reset. I need to go back home’.”
REGAINING CONFIDENCE
“So, in essence, the truth is that, whether she had run 11 flat or 10.90 or 11.10, once she leaves here with her confidence back, then, mission accomplished.”
Among the Jamaicans in action will be World Championship silver medallist Danniel Thomas-Dodd, who will compete in the women’s shot put. She will be in the field with Olympic silver medallist Raven Saunders of the United States.
Shawn Rowe and Andre Clarke will compete in the men’s 400m hurdles, while Shiann Salmon will take part in the women’s equivalent.
Ashanti Moore will line up in the women’s 200m while Javon Francis will compete in the men’s 400m.
Chrisann Gordon-Powell, who switched her discipline to the 800m, will also be in action at the event.
She is currently the fifth-fastest Jamaican of all time with a personal best of 1:59.52 minutes set on June 5. Damion Thomas will line up against American Devon Allen in the men’s 110m hurdles, while Nick Douglas and Jordan Scott will compete in the men’s triple jump.
Timetable for NYC Grand Prix
2:00 p.m. Men’s Triple Jump: Nick Douglas and Jordan Scott
3:03 p.m. Men’s 110m hurdles: Damion Thomas
3:10 p.m. Women’s 800: Chrisann Gordon-Powell
3:20 p.m. Women’s Shot Put: Danniel Thomas-Dodd
3:28 p.m. Women’s 100m: Briana Williams
3:36 p.m. Men’s 400m: Javon Francis
3:55 p.m. Women’s 400m hurdles: Shiann Salmon
4:10 p.m. Men’s 400m hurdles: Shawn Rowe and Andre Clarke
4:20 p.m. Men’s 800m: Rajay Hamilton
4:40 p.m. Women’s 200m: Ashanti Moore