Bernard Williams (sprinter) facts for kids
Williams during Keien Meeting 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Bernard Rollen Williams III | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 19, 1978 Baltimore, Maryland |
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| Residence | Gainesville, Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 178 lb (81 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Mike Holloway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 m: 9.94 (2001) 200 m: 20.01 (2004) |
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Medal record
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Bernard Rollen Williams III (born January 19, 1978) is a former American track and field sprinter. He is famous for winning a gold medal in the 4 × 100-meter relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He also earned a silver medal in the 200-meter dash at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Bernard Williams won another silver medal in the 100-meter dash at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics. He also helped his team win a gold medal in the relay at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. In 1999, he won a gold medal in the 100 m at the 1999 Pan American Games.
He is one of the fastest sprinters, with a personal best of 9.94 seconds in the 100 m. In 2003, he was the fastest man in the 200 m, running it in 20.01 seconds. Bernard Williams won the American national title for the 100 m in 2001 and 2003. He ran for the Florida Gators in college. In 2000, he became the NCAA Outdoor champion in both the 100 m and the 4 × 100 m relay.
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Bernard Williams' Early Life and College Career
Bernard Williams was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He showed great talent in sprinting from a young age. In 1999, he won the 100 meters race at the 1999 Pan American Games.
Williams received a sports scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. There, he joined the Florida Gators track and field team. He worked hard and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2008.
College Success and Olympic Debut
In 2000, while still a Florida Gator, Williams won two major college titles. He became the NCAA champion in the 100 meters. He also won the NCAA 4 × 100 m relay.
Later that year, he competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He ran the second part of the American 4 × 100 m relay team. His team won the gold medal. The team's exciting celebrations were very memorable.
Williams became known as "Hollywood" because of his fun personality. He often entertained the crowd with funny poses. One of his famous poses was "the people's eyebrow," used by the wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. His playful actions before races became more common in the sport.
Major Championships and Medals
World Championships Achievements
At the 2001 World Championships in Athletics, Williams originally finished third in the 100 meters. However, he was later awarded the silver medal. This happened because another athlete was found to have used banned substances. This also meant Williams was recognized as the 100 m national champion for that year.
Williams also ran in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 2001 World Championships. His team won the gold medal. However, this medal was later taken back for the same reason related to another team member.
In 2003, Williams won the US National Championships in the 100 meters again. He also placed fifth in the 100 meters at the 2003 World Championships in Athletics. He was part of the American relay team that won a gold medal at these championships.
Olympic Silver Medal in Athens
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, Bernard Williams won a silver medal. He competed in the 200 meters race. He finished just ahead of his teammate Justin Gatlin. In that race, Americans won all three top spots. Shawn Crawford won the gold medal.
Bernard Williams' Personal Bests
| Event | Time (seconds) | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 meters | 6.20 | Gainesville, Florida, United States | February 6, 2000 |
| 60 meters | 6.56 | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States | February 12, 1999 |
| 100 meters | 9.94 | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | August 5, 2001 |
| 200 meters | 20.01 | Brussels, Belgium | August 24, 2001 |
Bernard Williams' International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Pan American Games | Winnipeg, Canada | 1st | 100 m | 10.08 |
| 4th | 4 × 100 m relay | 39.00 | |||
| 2000 | Olympic Games | Sydney, Australia | 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 37.61 |
| 2001 | World Championships | Edmonton, Canada | 2nd | 100 m | 9.94 |
| DQ | 4 × 100 m relay | 37.96 | |||
| Grand Prix Final | Melbourne, Australia | 2nd | 200 m | 20.39 | |
| 2003 | World Championships | Paris, France | 4th | 100 m | 10.13 |
| 1st | 4 × 100 m relay | 38.02 | |||
| World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 1st | 100 m | 10.04 | |
| 6th | 200 m | 20.80 | |||
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 2nd | 200 m | 20.01 |
National Titles
- USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- 100 m: 2001, 2003
- NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships
- 100 m: 2000
- 4 × 100 m relay: 2000
See also
In Spanish: Bernard Williams (atleta) para niños
- List of Olympic medalists in athletics (men)
- List of men's Olympic and World Championship athletics sprint champions
- List of medal sweeps in Olympic athletics
- List of Pan American Games medalists in athletics (men)
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians
