Classy Kimberly
JAMAICAN TRIPLE jumper Kimberly Williams produced a personal best mark of 14.48m to capture the silver medal in the event at the I AAF World Indoor Championships yesterday.
The 29-year-old Williams was very impressive throughout the competition on her way to securing Jamaica’s second silver medal of the championships.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: FRESHLY-MINTED I AAF World Indoor Championships triple jump silver medallist Kimberly Williams is satisfied with her performance, but admits that there is still a lot of work to be done before next month’s Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.
Williams turned in an impressive display at the Arena Birmingham yesterday on her way to securing second place in her event, with an indoor personal best mark of 14.48m.
The event was won by Yulimar Rojas of Venezuela, who cut the sand with a mark of 14.63m, while third went to Spain’s Ana Peleteiro in 14.40m.
“This means a lot to me, because I got upgraded from bronze to silver now, and so that is great,” said Williams. The 29-year-old placed was third at the 2014 World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland.
“I know that I have some work to do, because you can’t become complacent, there is always room for improvement and I am looking forward to that,” Williams said.
EXCITED TO GO BACK TO TRAINING
“I am excited to go back to training to get some work done, and I will be alright, because, as an athlete, you trained so hard and so to come to a championship and perform it’s really great,” she said.
“At the World Outdoor Championships (last year), I was tenth, and everybody was asking me what went wrong, and people were asking me if what happened last year is going to hurt me. I said ‘no’, as what happened on that day, happened on that day, and I needed to put it behind me, and move forward and that is what I did,” Williams said.
Williams opened the competition with a season’s best jump of 14.37m. She then recorded a personal-best mark of 14.41m on her second attempt.
Williams then eclipsed that mark with a jump of
14.48 metres, which led the competition up to the fifth attempt, before she was overtaken by Rojas.
Jamaica’s other competitor in the event, Shanieka Rickets, finished with a leap of 13.93m.
O’Dayne Richards ended 11th in the men’s shot put competition with an indoor personal-best mark of 19.93m. The event was won by New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh, with a championships record 22.31m.
Jovea Jenkins finished fifth in the women’s 400m final in a personal best time of 52.12 seconds. The event was won by American Courtney Okolo in a personal best 50.55.
Aisha Praught was sixth in the final of the women’s 1500m in 4:12.86. Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba won in 4:05.27.
Sprinters Everton Clarke and Kimmari Roach failed to advance to the semi-finals of the 60m after finishing fourth and fifth in their respective semi-finals.
Clarke ended fourth in semi-final one in 6.63 seconds. China’s Bingtian Su won in 6.52.
Roach, who is the fastest Jamaican in the event this year, was fifth in semi-final two in 6.65. The race was won by American record holder Christian Coleman in 6.45.
Middle distance runner Natoya Goule failed to secure a spot in the final of the women’s 800m competition after placing third in her heat in 2:02.49.