Williams grateful for fifth World Champs final

Veteran sprint hurdler Danielle Williams expressed gratitude for reaching her fifth World Athletics Championships final, despite a challenging end to her campaign at the Japan National Stadium yesterday.

Having celebrated her 33rd birthday on Sunday, Williams was the most experienced athlete in the field, with seven World Championships under her belt and five final appearances. She also holds two World titles (2015 and 2023) and a bronze from 2019. However, her 2025 campaign ended with disappointment after a poor start to the final, where she finished seventh in 12.53 seconds.

Ditaji Kambundji (Switzerland) took the title in 12.24 seconds, ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan (12.29) and USA’s Grace Stark (12.34).

Speaking after the race, Williams said she will focus on the positives as she thanked those who have supported her throughout her career.

“I made it to another World finals,” she said. “I know this is my seventh World Championships. I think I missed two finals, so it’s my fifth World final. That itself is a great achievement.

“I didn’t do it on my own, so big up everybody who played a part – all my coaches, strength coach, track coach, mental coach, my family, my friends, everybody who supported me.”

She continued: “They have been on this journey with me from ever since. So it’s a testament not only to me, but to them, for continuing to pour into me, continuing to lift me up when I’ve been down and just keep me going.”

Williams’ race was marred by difficulties early on, particularly at the first two hurdles.

“I feel like I overcompensated a little bit coming off hurdle one, so I got too close to hurdle two, crashed into it and the rhythm got thrown off there,” she explained.

“The cleanest hurdler is usually the most victorious. If you’re hitting hurdles, your chances are very slim. But I’m very proud of how I fought to get back into the race.

“I felt like I was dead last after I hit hurdle two, but I didn’t finish last, so, you know, I’m grateful for that.”

ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN

Williams said her performance is proof that no matter your age or experience, there is always more you can learn and continue to improve on in life.

She said as long as she is able, she will strive to improve and compete at the highest level of the sport.

“As much as I’m a veteran in the sport, there’s still always something to learn,” Williams said.

“There’s still things to get better at. Definitely not the execution that I would have liked to tonight, but that’s the nature of sports; sometimes you get it, sometimes you don’t.”

She continued, “As long as God puts breath in my lungs and strength and ability in my body, I believe that he will equip me to compete at any level that he determines that I will compete at. He brought me here, so I’m here.”

Earlier, all three Jamaican competitors safely navigated their heats in the men’s 110m hurdles.

Tyler Mason was the fastest qualifier into the men’s semi-final, leading a strong field in heat five to stop the clock in a season’s best 13.17 seconds.

Orlando Bennett was also in fine form as he took heat three in 13.20, and advanced as the second-fastest qualifier on the night.

Demario Prince had a trickier time navigating heat four, as he clipped the first hurdle and suffered a slow start.

He recovered quickly, however, and snagged the final qualification spot in 13.31 to advance to the next round.

The semi-finals are set for today at 6:40 a.m. Jamaica time.

In the women’s 400-metre hurdles, there were no hiccups for Jamaica, with Andrenette Knight making light work of qualification as she snagged the second automatic qualifying spot in a time of 53.74 seconds.

She finished just behind the United States’ Anna Cockrell, who took the heat in 53.63.

In heat four, Shiann Salmon followed the US’s Dalilah Muhammad all the way to the line as she qualified in a season’s best 54.21. Muhammad clocked 53.80.

The duo will be Jamaica’s only competitors in the semi-finals as national champion Rushell Clayton had withdrawn from the competition through injury.

The semi-finals are set for this morning at 7:07 a.m. Jamaica time.

Tajay Gayle and Nikaoli Williams made the final of the men’s long jump, with the latter leaping to the automatic qualification of 8.15 metres to qualify automatically from Group A.

It took Gayle all three jumps to make the final, with his 8.28-metre effort topping the group.

Unfortunately, Carey McLeod, who coul only manage 7.86 metres from his efforts in Group A, failed to make the final, finishing 20th.

The men’s long jump final takes place at 6:40 a.m. tomorrow.

gregory.bryce@gleanerjm.com