Briana Williams, the Jamaica National Championships
Briana Williams, the Jamaica National Championships

NEW YORK – Jamaica’s rising star Briana Williams takes on a strong field, which will include, American Allyson Felix, English Gardiner and Teahna Daniels, at 113th NYRR Millrose Games on Feb 8.

Williams, who is the 2018 world junior champion in both the 100m and 200m, lowered her 100m personal best to 10.94 in 2019, a new under-18 world record. Coached by sprinting legend Ato Boldon, Williams will be looking to make noise against a Millrose Games field with plenty of experience.

The distance for the mega clash will be 60m. Felix, arguably the most accomplished athlete in track and field, is sharping up for his 5th Olympic Games appearance this summer.

“Being able to run at Millrose has been something exciting for me throughout my career,” Felix said. “I love the energy, the crowd, and being able to meet the young athletes who are the future of this sport. I cannot wait to start off my final Olympic campaign in New York City at the Millrose Games.”

Felix is a six-time Olympic gold medalist and 13-time world champion.

After giving birth to her daughter in November 2018, Felix returned to competition this past season, winning a gold medal on the mixed 4x400m relay at the Doha World Championships to surpass Usain Bolt as the most decorated athlete in the history of the sport.

While Felix trains for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, after the birth of her daughter Camryn, she has embraced her multiple roles as one of America’s greatest athletes, a devoted mother and an activist to support women athletes who have children. Away from sports, Felix also supports initiatives to improve women’s quality of life throughout the world.

Felix is hoping to compete in the Olympics one final time this year, and Millrose will be the first stop on her road to Tokyo.

Felix will face plenty of competition, led by Teahna Daniels, the 2019 USA champion in the 100m. Daniels had a breakout season in 2019, dipping under the 11-second barrier with a personal best of 10.99, before making the final in Doha where she finished seventh. Joining this outstanding field is Morolake Akinosun, a former four-time NCAA champion. Akinosun also won an Olympic gold medal on the Rio 4x100m relay, competing alongside Felix for Team USA.

Two athletes with ties to the tri-state area also will contend, including defending Millrose champion English Gardner. Gardner, another member of the victorious relay team in Rio, became the seventh-fastest woman in history that year, running 10.74 in the 100m. A series of injuries nearly derailed her career, but Gardner returned to the track in style at the Millrose Games last year, winning the 60m in a personal best of 7.10. Queens native and Armory regular Deajah Stevens, a former NCAA champion who competed in the 200m at the Rio Olympics, will add additional track & field royalty to this amazing field.

The NYRR Millrose Games is the most storied event in indoor track and field. Stay tuned for more announcements, as the remaining athletes and fields for this year’s event will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Already announced is a thrilling shot-put duel between 2016 Olympic gold medalist Ryan Crouser and 2019 World Championships gold medalist Joe Kovacs, as well as:

● Olympian and 2018 champion Chris O’Hare of Great Britain, 2017 champion Eric Jenkins of the United States, four-time Olympian Nick Willis of New Zealand, and world championship medalist Filip Ingebrigtsen of Norway who all will headline a talented NYRR Wanamaker Mile men’s field;

● World champion and American record-holder Donavan Brazier and defending NYRR Millrose Games champion and NCAA record-holder Michael Saruni in the men’s 800m;

● World record-holder Keni Harrison, who will open her season in the 60m hurdles;

● Newly-crowned NCAA Cross Country champions Edwin Kurgat (Iowa State University), Weini Kelati (University of New Mexico) in the men’s and women’s 3,000m respectively, along with 2016 Rio Olympic silver medalist Paul Tanui and women’s defending NYRR Millrose Games champion Alicia Monson (University of Wisconsin).

The Millrose Games moved to The Armory’s New Balance Track & Field Center in Washington Heights in 2012 after having called Madison Square Garden home from 1914 to 2011. The Games – established by employees of Wanamaker’s Department Store – features track and field’s most prolific male and female stars as well as collegiate, high school, club and youth competitors.


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