Derrick Williams (hurdler) facts for kids
Derrick Williams (born March 25, 1982) is an American former track and field athlete. He was a specialist in the 400-meter hurdles race. Derrick was a finalist at the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. He holds a personal best time of 48.26 seconds in his main event.
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Derrick Williams' Sports Journey
Derrick Williams went to GlenOak High School in Stark County, Ohio. There, he started his journey in track and field. After finishing high school in 2001, he attended Barton Community College.
At college, he trained with coach Lance Brauman. Coach Brauman also worked with famous athlete Tyson Gay. In 2001, Derrick became the national junior college champion in the 110-meter hurdles. Two years later, he won the 400 m hurdles title.
After college, Derrick's performance didn't improve much in 2004 and 2005. But in 2006, he moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. This move helped him improve his personal best time to 48.68 seconds. This great time made him the twelfth fastest in the world for that event that year. He also won a race at the Adidas Track Classic. However, he didn't finish his race at the 2006 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. So, he didn't move forward in the national competition.
His Best Year: 2007
The year 2007 was the best part of Derrick Williams' career. He finished third at the 2007 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He ran his fastest time ever, 48.26 seconds. This placed him behind James Carter and Kerron Clement.
He also won a race at the Kingston meet. He came in third at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York. Derrick made it onto the American team for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics. He won his first race there and then moved through the semi-finals.
All three American hurdlers – Williams, Clement, and Carter – reached the final. Derrick finished seventh in the final race. He was the slowest of the three Americans. Still, he ranked among the top ten hurdlers in the world that season.
Later Career
After his big success in 2007, Derrick's career slowed down. In 2008, he was eliminated early at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials. His best time that year was 49.75 seconds. He finished fourth at the adidas Track Classic. He was no longer in the top 50 athletes that year. He never ran as fast again. In 2009, he ran 49.77 seconds, which was his last time in the world's top fifty.
International Races
Here's a look at Derrick Williams' performance in a major international competition:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | World Championships | Osaka, Japan | 7th | 400 m hurdles | 52.97 |
Personal Best Times
A "personal best" is the fastest time an athlete has ever run in a specific race. Here are Derrick Williams' best times:
- 110-meter hurdles – 13.96 seconds (2003)
- 400-meter hurdles – 48.26 seconds (2007)
- 200-meter dash – 21.24 seconds (2009)
- 400-meter dash – 48.01 seconds (2008)
- Indoors (races held inside)
- 55-meter hurdles – 7.29 seconds (2005)
- 60-meter hurdles – 7.85 seconds (2005)
- 60-meter dash – 7.21 seconds (2007)
- 400-meter dash – 47.55 seconds (2007)
All of this information comes from All-Athletics.
