Williams running to new heights in 2018

– World Junior Championships main focus

By Michelangelo Jacobus

After a hugely gratifying 2017, Guyana’s most promising track star Daniel Williams got his 2018 off to a solid start on Sunday at the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) first developmental meet of the year at the National Track and Field Centre (NTFC), Leonora.

Guyana Times Sport caught up with the 17-year-old Lindener and he revealed that his main goals for this year is to qualify for the World Junior Championships set for July in Tampere, Finland and to work on his speed on the track.
In addition, Guyanese and sport enthusiasts will be heartened by Daniel’s decision to pursue studies at home; he has taken up the National Sports Commission’s (NSC) Financial Programme which entails them paying his tuition fees at the University of Guyana (UG).
The 400m specialist will be pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at Guyana’s premier tertiary institute. Williams will be the first athlete to join the NSC’s programme and study at home.
The NSC’s offer came after Daniel’s scintillating run last year at the World Junior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya where he won silver behind Jamaica’s Antonio Watson in the Boys’ 400m. Williams clocked his personal best of 46.72s just 0.13s behind Watson who crossed the finish line in 46.59s.
Williams reasoned that while he would have had more exposure had he taken up an offer from a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) College in the United States of America (USA), with the AAG’s introduction of several “Grand Prix” meets this year, he will be exposed to international completion as the “Grand Prix” meets will see athletes from South America and the Caribbean coming to compete. These meets will also give him more than enough track time to meet the qualifying times for the World Junior Championships.
His first challenge of 2018 will be at the CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas come April. The CARIFTA Games are slated for March 30-April 2.
It was at the same competition that Williams first rose to prominence after he finished second to Jamaica’s ‘next Usain Bolt’ Christopher Taylor in the 400M at the CARIFTA Games, but was disqualified for stepping on the line, coming off the turn on the final straight. Despite that setback which would have badly gutted anyone, Daniel persevered and continued putting in work on the track and went on to have a terrific year.
His last two years on the track reaped the following accolades: 2016 South American U18 Championships in Athletics – Argentina (400M Silver, 200M Bronze, High Jump silver. He was the only athlete at the games to win three medals). 2017 South American U20 Championships in Athletics – Guyana (400M Silver, High Jump Silver, 4X100M silver), 2017 IAAF World U18 Championships, Nairobi, Kenya (400M Silver).
At last year’s National Schools Cycling, Swimming and Track and Field Championships Daniel also became the most decorated athlete in the history of the championships; he owns records in the High Jump, 100M, 200M and 400M, competing in the U12, U14, U16 and U18 categories.
The fact that Daniel has decided to remain at home and study as well as train bodes well for the future of athletics in Guyana, with the support of the government and the AAG Daniel will be a certain contender for a medal the Olympic Games in 2020. Under the guidance and watchful eye of his coach Johnny Gravesande who is an unsung hero, Williams’ ascension to the senior level should go smoothly.