JAMAICA’s Briana Williams has ended her successful career as a junior and will now focus on making the transition to the senior ranks.

Williams, 17, confirmed her decision on her Facebook page on Sunday after winning a silver medal in the 4x100m relay at the Pan Am U20 Championships in Costa Rica. She won a gold medal in the 100m on Friday night, despite being hampered by a sore ankle.
“Tonight I ran my last race as a junior for Jamaica,” said Williams who won the sprint double at the 2018 U20 World Championships in Tampere, Finland.

“It’s time for me to step aside and allow the next generation of Jamaican girls to represent the black, green and gold at the junior level as I transition exclusively to the seniors. I’m grateful to all of you who have made me feel so welcome as a Jamaican ambassador and athlete.”

Coached by Ato Boldon, himself a world junior champion, Williams has enjoyed an outstanding career as a junior athlete.

In March 2018, she ran 11.13s in Jacksonville, a world record for 15-year-olds. Between 2018 and 2019, she won six gold medals at the Carifta Games winning the coveted Austin Sealy Award in each year.

So far in 2019, she won the NACAC U18 title and the Pan Am U20 title.
Williams also set a Jamaican U18 and U20 record of 10.94 when she finished third at the Jamaican national championships on June 21. The time was also a World U18 record.(Sportsmax)