by Larry Eder
Jodie Williams, CG 200 meters, photo by Claus Anderson
Jodie Williams has been on a roll. At the Glasgow DL, in cool weather, Jodie ran 22.60 for a new PB, taking fourth. This was after an early season racing 100 meters and 200 meter races.
Jodie Williams is fit. Make no doubt about it. But, Jodie Williams is more than that. She has won silvers in CG 200 meters (PB) and now, in the European Championships, Jodie Williams again took the silver (another PB).
Jodie Williams, Glasgow DL, 2014, photo by PhotoRun.net
The young sprinting sensation of GB has grown up. After a tough 2012, and a return in 2013 and 2014, Jodie Williams is racing at the senior level and doing quite well, thank you.
Her 200 meters in the Commonwealth Games, where she placed second to Blessing Okagbare, opened some eyes, with her 22.50 PB and her silver medal. The 4×100 meter relay that she participated on also opened some eyes.
Going from a top Junior to a top senior women sprinter is fraught with challenges. What happens when you go from the top athlete to one of the top, fighting for sponsorship, a lane in the races and recognition.
Well, Jodie Williams is on the way to dispelling those challenges and thoughts.
Her racing in Zurich was well focused and successful. Her first rounds in the 200 meter made her a real possibility for the silver medal. But, she was racing Mariam Soumare, FRA, and Dafne Schippers, among the stacked field.
Jodie Williams has a fantastic finish. She gets out of the blocks pretty well, and comes off the turn, accelerating. In the European final, she went from fourth to third, to second and did not stop, until she got across the line.
Following Dafne Schippers, who ran 22.03, the fastest time in European Champs ever by a non-East German athlete, was pretty amazing. For Dafne, that was a 22.03 NR, her third of the year.
For Jodie Williams, the second place meant silver medal in the 200 meters, a third PB in the 200 meters this season (22.46), and the knowledge that, in her first real senior championships, she has done well.
How did Jodie react? Here is her comments in the mixed zone, after her brilliant silver medal:
“I’m so happy to come away with two silver medals in the two major championships this summer. I was chasing Dafne down but she’s crazy fast so I can’t complain with silver. I thought I could get even more out of myself tonight but I was so tired. It’s so amazing to have three Britons in the final, and we’re back for the relay tomorrow. This season has been better than I could have asked for after injury. I will return to Zurich to do the relay and I may do the 100m there.”
Jodie Williams is the real thing. It will be fun to see how far she goes this season, and next, and next….
