TAMPERE, Finland – Jamaica’s Briana Williams was in stunning form on Saturday. The 16-year-old ran a Champion Record 22.50 seconds to become the World U20 200m champion.
Her mark, which bettered Bahamian Anthonique Strachan’s 2012 championship record of 22.53, completed an impressive sprint double. Strachan also won the sprint double in 2012.
Jamaican Veronica Campbell-Brown in 2000 and Bulgaria’s Tezdzhan Naimova in 2006 are the other double winners.
Williams’ 20.50 is a Jamaican junior record. The mark erased the 22.71 Simone Facey ran to win at Champs in 2004. It also bettered the 22.72 Jamaica Youth record done by Kevona Davis at Champs 2018.
On the world scale, Williams’ time is the fifth fastest ever by a youth and 21st best by a junior. American Allyson Felix’s world junior record is 22.18, set back in 2004 at the age of 19.
Drawn in lane three, Williams, who had the fifth-best reaction time, covered the field very early. She pulled away down the straight leaving the chasing pack no chance.
“It feels great,” said Williams, who had six races in four days. “I am still surprised about the time, but I’m just glad I came out and did what Veronica Campbell-Brown did in 2000.”
