Jeff Williams (sprinter) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Jeff Williams

Personal information
Full name	Jeffrey Williams
Born	December 31, 1965 (1965-12-31) (age 59) Los Angeles, U.S.
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Pan American Games Bronze 1991 Havana 100 m World Championships Bronze 1995 Gothenburg 200 m

Jeffrey "Jeff" Williams (born December 31, 1965) is an American former track and field athlete. He was a specialist in the 200-meter dash race. Jeff won a bronze medal at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. He also reached the 200 m final at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

In 1996, he set an American record for the 200 m indoors. Jeff started his first world championship when he was 29 years old. He had a female coach, Barbara Ferrell, who won a gold medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. This was unusual for a male runner at the time.

Jeff Williams' Athletic Journey

College Years

Jeff Williams was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Washington Preparatory High School. Later, he graduated from Los Angeles City College in 1985. He then joined Prairie View A&M University. There, he played American football for the Prairie View A&M Panthers team.

His football coach noticed how fast he was. The coach asked Jeff to join the track team. At Prairie View, Jeff ran the 100 meters in 10.3 seconds. He also ran the 200 m in 20.85 seconds. He finished sixth in the 200 m heats at the NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship.

Becoming a Pro Athlete

Jeff finished college in 1987 with a degree in social sciences. Unlike many track athletes, he supported himself without a sponsorship deal. He started competing regularly at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. In 1989, he reached the 100 m semi-finals and the 200 m finals.

The next year, he did even better. He finished seventh in the 100 m and sixth in the 200 m. Jeff gained international experience at the 1991 Pan American Games. He won a bronze medal in the 100 m race. He also ran on the European track circuit that year. He finished fifth in the 200 m at the 1991 IAAF Grand Prix Final.

Working with a Special Coach

After getting advice from his father, Jeff decided to focus seriously on track from 1992. He started working with Barbara Ferrell. She won a silver medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics. It was very unusual for a woman to coach a top male runner. But Jeff didn't mind. He said, "I've heard people say a woman can't coach a man, but they must be lying, because look what she has done for me."

In 1992, Jeff tried to qualify for the Olympics at the US Olympic Trials. He didn't make it, finishing sixth in the 100 m semi-finals. He also finished last in the 200 m. Despite this, he was chosen for the IAAF World Cup in Athletics. There, he won a bronze medal in the 200 m. He also helped the US relay team win a gold medal.

His performance at the 1993 US Championships was not great. But he did well in Europe. He won the 200 m at the British AAA Championships. He also competed in both the 100 m and 200 m at the 1993 IAAF Grand Prix Final. His 1994 season was quieter. However, he ran a personal best time of 20.19 seconds in Stockholm. This was the fifth fastest time of the year.

World and Olympic Success

The year 1995 was a big step forward for Jeff. He reached the 100 m US final. But his biggest success was in the 200 m. He won a bronze medal at the national championships. He finished behind famous runners Michael Johnson and Kevin Little. He had been trying for seven years to reach the national podium. He said, "I think persistence plays a little part in it."

After competing in Europe, he got ready for the 200 m at the 1995 World Championships in Athletics. He won his early races. In the semi-finals, he ran 20.32 seconds, finishing second. In the final, he set a new personal record of 20.18 seconds. He earned the bronze medal, finishing behind Frankie Fredericks and Michael Johnson. Jeff won his first world medal at a major championship at age 29. He ended the season with a fifth-place finish at the IAAF Grand Prix Final.

Jeff reached his best athletic form in 1996. He started the year with an American indoor record of 20.40 seconds for the 200 m. This was the third fastest indoor time that year. He finished second in the event at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

At the Fresno Relays in California, his 100 m race was ruined when his shoe came off. Jeff decided to run an unplanned 200 m race instead. He ran a personal record time of 19.87 seconds. Only Michael Johnson and Frankie Fredericks had run faster since 1992.

By the time of the 1996 US Olympic Trials, he had also run his best 100-meter dash in 10.14 seconds. He set another personal record in the first round, running 10.02 seconds. He made it to the 100 m final. After a false start, he finished fourth. This was his best 100 m finish, but he was disappointed. He said, "I had a mental breakdown and got called for a false start. I blew it."

He did better in the 200 m. He came second with a time of 20.03 seconds. Michael Johnson won the race with a world record time of 19.66 seconds.

The 1996 Olympics

Jeff competed in his first Olympics at age 30 in Atlanta. He easily qualified through the early races. He finished third in his semi-final. In the final, Jeff ran 20.17 seconds. This time would have been enough to win a medal at the previous Olympics.

However, the 1996 Olympic 200 meter race was one of the fastest ever. Michael Johnson broke the world record. Frankie Fredericks ran the third fastest time ever. Ato Boldon finished in 19.80 seconds. Jeff finished fifth in this incredibly fast race. This was his last appearance on the world stage.

Even though he retired from top-level racing, Jeff still competes. He runs in masters athletics competitions for athletes over 40.

Jeff Williams' Best Times

Jeff Williams' Competition Results

See also

In Spanish: Jeff Williams para niños