Briana Williams and Britany Anderson enjoy Millrose Games
Briana Williams and Britany Anderson

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, New York – Briana Williams, competing in her fifth indoor meet and first at the NYRR Millrose Games, registered a personal best 7.18 seconds to clinch third in the women’s 60m on Saturday (8).

The World U20 sprint double champion got a flying start, going stride for stride with American Javianne Oliver for 40m before losing her form towards the end. Oliver capitalized bursting the tape in a season’s best 7.13 seconds ahead of her fast-finishing teammate Morolake Akinosun (7.16).

“There was a faulty start at the beginning that threw me off,” said Williams who shaved 0.07 seconds off her personal best set on 11 January 2020.

“When I came back, I was mainly concentrating on my execution and the sound of the gun. I made sure that I got my start right, I haven’t seen the race yet, but I know my ending wasn’t all there or perfect, but I’m happy I came out with a personal best.”

Multiple world champion Allyson Felix found herself way off the pace in the first 10m and never recovered, finishing a distant sixth in a season’s best 7.32 seconds. “For me, it was all about getting my legs turning over again and getting back into a competitive frame of mind on sprinting,” explained Felix.

She added, “That’s the end of my indoor season.”

In the men’s equivalent, Jamaica’s Kevaughn Rattray sped to a season’s best 6.62 seconds to grab third while his Caribbean counterpart Jeremy Bascom of Guyana finished seventh in 6.81. American Ronnie Baker won in 6.54, the fourth-fastest time in the world, edging compatriot and world leader Demek Kemp who registered 6.56.

Kendra Harrison, the world record holder and reigning World Indoor Champion, got an explosive start and led from start to finish in the women’s 60m hurdles clocking 7.90 seconds, 0.09 off her season’s best. She led an American clean sweep with two-time World Indoor and reigning World Champion Nia Ali, also dipping under eight seconds, registering 7.96 ahead of Payton Chadwick (8.00).

World U20 record holder Britany Anderson, competing in only her second indoor meeting, ran on strong for fourth in a personal best 8.02 seconds. “I think it was a good race, and I could have done much better, but I’m satisfied,” said Anderson.

Another Jamaican, Janeek Brown finished sixth in 8.10 seconds. “I got a good start then I lost focus and didn’t execute properly, and it turned out to be not a good race for me,” said Brown, the second-fastest 100m hurdler in NCAA History (12.40) and a finalist in Doha. “My coach and I have decided to shut down my indoor season and focus on outdoors.”

Jamaica’s Natoya Goule tried her best to unseat defending champion and American record holder Ajee Wilson in the women’s 800m. Goule led the field until 720m before poster girl Wilson, who shadowed her throughout, made a decisive kick and pulled away to win in a new American record of 1:58.29; chopping 0.31 seconds off her previous best.

Goule logged 1:59.35, her second-fastest time indoors, behind her 1:59.13 personal best set here last year. “This is my first 800m for the season, and I felt really good and relaxed,” said Goule. “I believe I kicked too early, but I’m proud of what I did today. I just started training in December and to be running 1:59 now is satisfying.”

Elsewhere, Barbadian Akela Jones scratched from the women’s long jump after feeling some discomfort in her quad muscles. Her compatriot Kylia Smith had some challenges with her footing registering three foul attempts but managed to cut the sand at 5.61m to finish sixth.


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