Williams, Goule win at New Balance Grand Prix

February 07, 2022
Danielle Williams
Danielle Williams
Natoya Goule
Natoya Goule
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IMPRESSIVE WINS by sprint hurdler Danielle Williams and affable middle distance runner, Natoya Goule, highlighted a fairly decent outing for Jamaican athletes at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, the third leg of the World Indoor Tour Gold meet, at Ocean Breeze Athletics Complex in Staten Island, New York, yesterday.

Complementing those victories were top-three finishes for the nation's Briana Williams, Britany Anderson, Christopher Taylor and Roneisha MacGregor.

Goule, a finalist at the Tokyo Olympics, registered the first win among Jamaicans as she posted a season best and world-leading time of 1:59.62 seconds in the women's 800 metres.

Having placed second in the event on the previous weekend at the Millrose Games in New York, Goule went back to her trademark style, leading from the start and staying ahead throughout to claim top spot. The United States' (US') Olivia Baker finished second, in a season best 2:00:83 seconds, with Isabelle Boffey of Canada third in 2:01.57.

The women's 60-metre hurdles was billed as a big showdown between the Jamaican pair of Danielle Williams and Anderson, as both came into the meet unbeaten after winning the respective first and second meetings. That placed them as joint leaders with 10 points apiece. The overall winner at the end of the tour is guaranteed a cash prize of US $10,000, and wild card entry to next month's World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.

Yesterday, they lived up to the event billing and did not disappoint in what played out as a battle royal from start to finish. However, the experience and strength of Danielle Williams, the 2015 100m hurdles Outdoor World champion, prevailed to win in 7.83 seconds.

Anderson, the 2007 World Under-17 champion, ensured a Jamaica quinela after finishing second in a personal best 7.88 seconds. The US' Gabrielke Cunningham was third in 7.92 seconds.

Danielle Williams, who is ranked at number two in the world, now leads the series with 20 points, while Anderson is second with 17 points.

Olympic Games 4x100 metres relay gold medallist, Briana Williams, showed signs of getting back to her best form of two years ago, after a vintage performance in the women's 60 metres, notching a second-place finish in the finals in 7.11 seconds.

Mikiah Briscoe of the US won in a world-leading 7.07 seconds.

Williams, who was fourth in the event at the Millrose Games, ran the race of her life in the preliminary round, clocking a massive personal best of 7.09 seconds to advance as the fastest qualifier. She is now third in the event on the world list, after improving her personal best by a gigantic nine-hundredths of a second over her previous best, 7.18 seconds.

After winning the 400 metres at the Millrose Games, Olympic finalist, Christopher Taylor, stepped down to the 200 metres yesterday and finished a creditable second in the event in 20.81 seconds, trailing his training partner in Florida, Trayvon Bromell of the US, who won in 20.64 seconds. Elijah Hall, also from the US, finished third in 20.82 seconds.

Olympian MacGregor finished third in the women's 400 metres in 53.01 seconds, improving on her fourth-place finish in the event at the Millrose Games the previous week.

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