PARIS, France — If anyone knows how to win a gold medal at a major championship, it is Jamaica’s Danielle Williams, the reigning world 100m hurdles champion.

The 31-year-old Williams, who has been having a relatively good season, has set her sights on winning her first Olympic medal in the event.

Williams, a two-time world champion in the event, will lead the country’s trio of athletes into the semi-finals on Friday at 5:05 am. Joining her are fellow Jamaicans Ackera Nugent and Janeek Brown.

Competing in her first Olympic Games, Williams won her heat comfortably with a time of 12.59 seconds. She told the Jamaica Observer that she expects the semi-finals to be very tough, but she is mentally prepared to go all-out to ensure she makes the final.

“The semi-finals for me are going to be like the final,” said Williams. “I am going to run it like a final, give my best, and do whatever I need to do to run as fast as I ever have to be in that final. If that means a personal best, then I am prepared to do that.”

Williams, the second-fastest Jamaican in the event this year with a time of 12.46, noted that she will rely on her experience to lift her into the final. Nugent, the national record holder, is the fastest Jamaican woman this year with 12.28.

“I can draw on my experience knowing that the semi-finals are usually the hardest round because if you don’t run well in the semi-finals, there is no final,” Williams stated. “I will treat my semi-final like a final, and I am prepared to do what I need to do and run as fast as I need to. Personal best, season’s best, whatever it takes to get to the final.”

Brown, 26, qualified for the semi-finals after finishing third in her heat with a time of 12.84, behind world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria, who won the heat in 12.49. Brown emphasised that she is well aware she will need to run much faster to secure a spot in the final.

“I feel really good because my aim was not to make the garbage round (repêchage), so I feel that I can improve my efforts in the semi-finals. In that race, I think I was leading for a good while, but I hit a hurdle. Hopefully, I get a cleaner race and a better start in the semi-finals. Hopefully, Jamaica can have three in the final,” she said.

“I am confident because I have faith in my coach, and he has faith in me. If I execute the race, anything can happen because it’s a hurdle race, and nothing is for sure,” Brown added.

The 22-year-old Nugent, who has been having an excellent season, won her heat in 12.65, just ahead of World Indoor 60m champion Devynne Charlton of the Bahamas, who finished second in 12.71.

Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent contests the women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals during the Olympic Games at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Wednesday.

Janeek Brown competes in the women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals during the Olympic Games at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Wednesday.