Jamaica’s rising star Briana Williams revealed that she will not be defending her 100m and 200m World Under-20 titles at the World Juniors in Kenya in July.

Williams, who will be 18 on March 21, stunned the world in 2018 when she won the sprint double, beating girls much older than her in Finland. The Florida-based Williams trained by Ato Bodon of Trinidad and Tobago won the 100m in 11.16 (+0.3 mps) and the 200m in a championship record of 22.50 (-0.1 mps).

“No, I am not going back there. It is going to interfere with Olympics so I am going to just sit this one out,” said Williams.

She won the outdoor 60m event at the 19th staging of the Queens Grace Jackson Track and Field meet last Saturday in an impressive 7.15 (-1.1 mps) ahead of Natasha Morrison of Sprintec who clocked 7.24. Williams, who is the world age-15 record holder, was more than pleased with her time after opening her season clocking 7.25 at the Clemson Indoor Track and Field event on January 11.

“I shocked myself with this time. I was really happy. I just made sure I executed out of the blocks, stay low and make sure I don’t get lazy in the end. I have been having really good training and I have been running faster times than last year. I know I was gonna come out here and do PB [personal best]. I love coming to Kingston. I always run fast when I come here, so I am really happy,” Williams told BUZZ.

Williams finished third at the 2019 Jamaica’s Senior Championship in the 100m in a personal best of 10.94 behind Olympic Champions Elaine Thompson (10.73) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.73). Williams said her aim is to once again make Jamaica’s team, this time to the Japan Olympics. She said her training has been going extremely well.

“It’s been coming along great and it’s always a pleasure to run with the big girls and they always push me. I want to make the Olympic team for both 100m and 200m and the relay as well and hope to get a lot of sub 11s this year and improve every time I run,” Williams said.