Jeff Williams (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Jeff Williams is an American
former track and field
athlete who specialized in the 200-meter dash. He was the bronze medal
ist at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
and reached the 200 m final at the 1996 Summer Olympics
. He set an American record
in the 200 m indoors in 1996.
He was a late bloomer and attended his first world championship competition at the age of 29. Williams was unusual for an elite male runner at the time in that he had a female coach: 1968 Olympic
gold medallist Barbara Ferrell
.
, California, Williams attended Washington Preparatory High School
and graduated from Los Angeles City College
in 1985. He joined Prairie View A&M University
and began playing football
for the Prairie View A&M Panthers. The team coach noticed his speed and asked if Williams would join the track team
. He recorded bests of 10.3 seconds in the 100 meters and a wind-assisted 20.85 seconds in the 200 m during his time at Prairie View and was sixth in the heats of the 200 m of the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
.
he was unusual for a track athlete in that he supported himself without help from a sponsorship deal. He began making regular appearances at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
: in 1989 he reached the 100 m semi-finals and the 200 m finals and improved the following year to finish seventh in the 100 m and sixth in the 200 m. Williams gained international experience at the 1991 Pan American Games
where he took 100 m bronze behind compatriot Andre Cason
, although he was disqualified with the US 4×100-meter relay team. He also ran on the European circuit that year and was selected for the 200 m at the 1991 IAAF Grand Prix Final, where he finished fifth.
Following advice from his father, Williams decided to take track seriously from 1992 onwards and he began working with 1968 Olympic
silver medallist Barbara Ferrell
– it was highly unusual for a woman to coach an elite male runner, but Williams was unperturbed, saying: "I've heard people say a woman can't coach a man, but they must be lying, because look what she has done for me". He made his first attempt to qualify at the United States Olympic Trials
in 1992, but he was sixth in the 100 m semi-finals and finished last in the 200 m. Despite this, he was selected for the IAAF World Cup in Athletics
and won the bronze in the 200 m and helped the US relay team to a gold medal
. His performance at the 1993 US Championships was poor, but he countered this with success in Europe, winning the 200 m at the British
AAA Championships, and doubling up at the 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final with a fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 200 m. His 1994 season was a quiet one, although he was sixth in the 200 m at the US Championships and he ran a personal best of 20.19 seconds in Stockholm
(the fifth fastest time of the year
).
and Kevin Little
. Reflecting on his performance at his seventh consecutive national championships, he said "I think persistence plays a little part in it. Luck is remnant of desire. Just hanging in there". After making appearances at European meets, he prepared for the 200 m at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
. After winning his heat and quarter-final races, he stepped up his performance to run 20.32 seconds for second place in the semi-finals behind Frankie Fredericks
. In the final he ran a personal record time of 20.18 seconds and was rewarded with the bronze medal, having finished behind Fredericks and Johnson. Williams had won his first world medal at a major championships at the age of 29. He closed the season with a fifth place at the IAAF Grand Prix Final.
Williams hit his athletic peak in 1996, beginning with an American indoor record
of 20.40 seconds over 200 m in the early stages of the season, which was the third fastest indoor time that year. He finished as runner-up in the event behind Kevin Little at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
. While competing at the Fresno Relays in California, Williams' 100 m race was spoiled when his shoe came off. Keen to check his competitive level, Williams opted to run an impromptu 200 m at the meet instead. He clocked a personal record time of 19.87 seconds into a headwind, a time that only Michael Johnson and Frankie Fredericks had beaten since 1992.
By the time of the 1996 US Olympic Trials, he had also run a 100-meter dash best of 10.14 seconds. He scored another personal record in the first round, running 10.02 seconds, and progressed to the final with similar marks. After a false start
in the 100 m final, he finished fourth and just off the qualifying position for the Olympics. This was his best ever 100 m placing, but he was disappointed with his performance: "I had a mental breakdown and got called for a false start. I blew it". He fared better in the 200 m and came second with a time of 20.03 seconds, although he was some distance off the winner, Michael Johnson, who ran a world record time of 19.66 seconds.
Running at his first Olympics at the age of 30, he easily qualified through the early stages and was third in his semi-final. When it came to the final Williams, ran a time of 20.17 seconds, which would have been enough to medal at the previous Olympics. However, the 1996 Olympic 200 meter race
was one of the fastest ever as Michael Johnson knocked a third of a second off the world record, Frankie Fredericks ran the third fastest time ever, and Ato Boldon
finished in 19.80 seconds. Williams had to settle for fifth (behind Obadele Thompson
) in his final appearance on the global stage.
Although retired from the elite scene, Williams still competes in masters athletics competitions, running in the M40 class.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete who specialized in the 200-meter dash. He was the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
ist at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
and reached the 200 m final at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. He set an American record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
in the 200 m indoors in 1996.
He was a late bloomer and attended his first world championship competition at the age of 29. Williams was unusual for an elite male runner at the time in that he had a female coach: 1968 Olympic
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
gold medallist Barbara Ferrell
Barbara Ferrell
Barbara Ann Ferrell is a former American athlete, who competed mainly in the 100 metres....
.
College
Born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California, Williams attended Washington Preparatory High School
Washington Preparatory High School
George Washington Preparatory High School is a secondary school in the Westmont section of unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States that is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, .It was founded in 1926...
and graduated from Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College, known as LACC, is a public community college in the East Hollywood section of Los Angeles, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard...
in 1985. He joined Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University is a historically black university located in Prairie View, Texas and is a member of the Texas A&M University System. PVAMU offers baccalaureate degrees in 50 academic majors, 37 master’s degrees and four doctoral degree programs through nine colleges and schools...
and began playing football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for the Prairie View A&M Panthers. The team coach noticed his speed and asked if Williams would join the track team
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He recorded bests of 10.3 seconds in the 100 meters and a wind-assisted 20.85 seconds in the 200 m during his time at Prairie View and was sixth in the heats of the 200 m of the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...
.
Professional career
After graduating in 1987 with a degree in social sciencesSocial sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
he was unusual for a track athlete in that he supported himself without help from a sponsorship deal. He began making regular appearances at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
: in 1989 he reached the 100 m semi-finals and the 200 m finals and improved the following year to finish seventh in the 100 m and sixth in the 200 m. Williams gained international experience at the 1991 Pan American Games
Athletics at the 1991 Pan American Games
The athletics competition at the 1991 Pan American Games was held in Havana, Cuba.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:*...
where he took 100 m bronze behind compatriot Andre Cason
Andre Cason
Andre Cason is an American former sprinter. He was a member of the US 4 x 100 meters relay team that won the gold medal at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo with a world record time of 37.50 seconds...
, although he was disqualified with the US 4×100-meter relay team. He also ran on the European circuit that year and was selected for the 200 m at the 1991 IAAF Grand Prix Final, where he finished fifth.
Following advice from his father, Williams decided to take track seriously from 1992 onwards and he began working with 1968 Olympic
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
silver medallist Barbara Ferrell
Barbara Ferrell
Barbara Ann Ferrell is a former American athlete, who competed mainly in the 100 metres....
– it was highly unusual for a woman to coach an elite male runner, but Williams was unperturbed, saying: "I've heard people say a woman can't coach a man, but they must be lying, because look what she has done for me". He made his first attempt to qualify at the United States Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
in 1992, but he was sixth in the 100 m semi-finals and finished last in the 200 m. Despite this, he was selected for the IAAF World Cup in Athletics
IAAF World Cup in Athletics
The IAAF Continental Cup is an international athletics competition which comprises track and field events. It is the only world cup contested by teams representing entire continents, rather than just those of individual nations...
and won the bronze in the 200 m and helped the US relay team to a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. His performance at the 1993 US Championships was poor, but he countered this with success in Europe, winning the 200 m at the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
AAA Championships, and doubling up at the 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final with a fourth in the 100 and fifth in the 200 m. His 1994 season was a quiet one, although he was sixth in the 200 m at the US Championships and he ran a personal best of 20.19 seconds in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
(the fifth fastest time of the year
1994 in athletics (track and field)
-International Events:* Asian Games* Balkan Games* Commonwealth Games* European Championships* European Indoor Championships* Jeux de la Francophonie* Goodwill Games* World Cross Country Championships* World Junior Championships-Women:...
).
World and Olympic finals
The 1995 season was a breakthrough for Williams. He managed to reach the 100 m US final, but it was in the 200 m that he finally reached the national podium, taking the bronze behind Michael JohnsonMichael Johnson (athlete)
Michael Duane Johnson is a retired American sprinter. He won four Olympic gold medals and eight world championship gold medals. Johnson currently holds the world and Olympic records in the 400 m and 4 x 400 meters relay. He formerly held the world and Olympic record in the 200 m, and the world...
and Kevin Little
Kevin Little
Kevin Little is a former American athlete, who specialized in sprints. He won the 200 meter race in the 1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Paris, France. He won bronze in the same event in the 1989, 1993, and 1999 IAAF World Indoor Championships.Little graduated from Ankeny High School in 1986...
. Reflecting on his performance at his seventh consecutive national championships, he said "I think persistence plays a little part in it. Luck is remnant of desire. Just hanging in there". After making appearances at European meets, he prepared for the 200 m at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics
1995 World Championships in Athletics
The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations....
. After winning his heat and quarter-final races, he stepped up his performance to run 20.32 seconds for second place in the semi-finals behind Frankie Fredericks
Frankie Fredericks
Frank Fredericks is a former athlete from Namibia. Running in the 100 metres and 200 metres, he won four silver medals at the Olympic Games , making him Namibia's first and so far only Olympic medalist...
. In the final he ran a personal record time of 20.18 seconds and was rewarded with the bronze medal, having finished behind Fredericks and Johnson. Williams had won his first world medal at a major championships at the age of 29. He closed the season with a fifth place at the IAAF Grand Prix Final.
Williams hit his athletic peak in 1996, beginning with an American indoor record
United States records in track and field
The following are the national records in track & field in the United States maintained by USA Track & Field .Key:-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:+ = en route to a longer distanceA = affected by altitude# = not officially ratified by IAAF...
of 20.40 seconds over 200 m in the early stages of the season, which was the third fastest indoor time that year. He finished as runner-up in the event behind Kevin Little at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships is an annual indoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
. While competing at the Fresno Relays in California, Williams' 100 m race was spoiled when his shoe came off. Keen to check his competitive level, Williams opted to run an impromptu 200 m at the meet instead. He clocked a personal record time of 19.87 seconds into a headwind, a time that only Michael Johnson and Frankie Fredericks had beaten since 1992.
By the time of the 1996 US Olympic Trials, he had also run a 100-meter dash best of 10.14 seconds. He scored another personal record in the first round, running 10.02 seconds, and progressed to the final with similar marks. After a false start
False start
In sports, a false start is a movement by a participant before being signaled or otherwise permitted by the rules to start...
in the 100 m final, he finished fourth and just off the qualifying position for the Olympics. This was his best ever 100 m placing, but he was disappointed with his performance: "I had a mental breakdown and got called for a false start. I blew it". He fared better in the 200 m and came second with a time of 20.03 seconds, although he was some distance off the winner, Michael Johnson, who ran a world record time of 19.66 seconds.
Running at his first Olympics at the age of 30, he easily qualified through the early stages and was third in his semi-final. When it came to the final Williams, ran a time of 20.17 seconds, which would have been enough to medal at the previous Olympics. However, the 1996 Olympic 200 meter race
Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres
These are the official results of the men's 200 metres event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a total number of 81 participating athletes , with two rounds , two semifinals and a final.-Medalists:-Records:These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the...
was one of the fastest ever as Michael Johnson knocked a third of a second off the world record, Frankie Fredericks ran the third fastest time ever, and Ato Boldon
Ato Boldon
Ato Jabari Boldon is a former athlete from Trinidad and Tobago and four-time Olympic medal winner. Only 2 other men in history, Frankie Fredericks and Carl Lewis, have won as many Olympic individual event sprint medals. He is the current national record holder in the 50, 60 and 200 metres events...
finished in 19.80 seconds. Williams had to settle for fifth (behind Obadele Thompson
Obadele Thompson
Obadele Thompson is a sprint athlete from Barbados;. In 2000, he became the first Olympic medalist from Barbados with a bronze medal in the 100m race.-Biography:...
) in his final appearance on the global stage.
Although retired from the elite scene, Williams still competes in masters athletics competitions, running in the M40 class.
Personal bests
| Event | Time (sec Second The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock.... ) |
Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 metres 50 metres 50 metres is a sprint event in track and field. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor athletics competitions it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes... |
5.78 | ? | 1992 |
| 60 metres 60 metres 60 metres is a sprint event in track and field athletics. It is a championship event for indoor championships, normally dominated by the best outdoor 100 metres runners. At outdoor venues it is a rare distance, at least for senior athletes... |
6.67 | ? | 1995 |
| 100 metres 100 metres The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896... |
10.02 | Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... , United States |
June 14, 1996 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... |
19.87 | Fresno, California Fresno, California Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation... , United States |
April 13, 1996 |
| 200 metres 200 metres A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first... (indoor) |
20.40 | ? | 1996 |
- All information taken from IAAF/USATF profiles.
Competition record
| 1991 | Pan American Games Athletics at the 1991 Pan American Games The athletics competition at the 1991 Pan American Games was held in Havana, Cuba.-Men's events:-Women's events:-Medal table:-References:*... |
Havana Havana Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous... , Cuba |
3rd | 100 m |
| DQ | 4×100-meter relay | |||
| IAAF Grand Prix Final | Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
5th | 200 m | |
| 1992 | IAAF World Cup | Havana Havana Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous... , Cuba |
3rd | 200 m |
| 1st | 4×100-meter relay | |||
| 1993 | IAAF Grand Prix Final | London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , United Kingdom |
4th | 100 m |
| 5th | 200 m | |||
| 1995 | World Championships 1995 World Championships in Athletics The 5th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, Sweden between August 5 and August 13.This edition featured 1804 athletes from 191 nations.... |
Gothenburg Gothenburg Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area... , Sweden |
3rd | 200 m 1995 World Championships in Athletics – Men's 200 metres These are the official results of the Men's 200 metres event at the 1995 IAAF World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden. There were a total number of 72 participating athletes, with two semi-finals, four quarter-finals and nine qualifying heats and the final held on Friday... |
| IAAF Grand Prix Final 1995 IAAF Grand Prix Final The 11th IAAF Grand Prix Final was held at the Stade Louis II in Monte Carlo, Monaco on September 9th, 1995.-Men:- Women :-External links:*... |
Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... , Monaco |
5th | 200 m | |
| 1996 | Olympic Games Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics At the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, 44 events in athletics were contested, 24 by men and 20 by women. There were a total number of 2053 participating athletes from 191 countries.-Men:... |
Atlanta, Georgia | 5th | 200 m Athletics at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres These are the official results of the men's 200 metres event at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a total number of 81 participating athletes , with two rounds , two semifinals and a final.-Medalists:-Records:These were the standing world and Olympic records prior to the... |