By Kirby Lee
20 January 2001Angela Williams has gone full circle since a disappointing performance in the 100 metres in the U.S. Olympic Trials in July. The USC junior dreaded racing again after she was eliminated in a semi-final heat while suffering from the flu.
Now, Williams can wait to step on the track again after clocking 6.17 seconds to win the 50 meters in the Los Angeles Invitational indoor meet on Saturday night at the L.A. Sports Arena.
Despite a poor start after two spikes fell out of her right shoe, the two-time defending NCAA 100m champion turned in the fastest time in the world this year and the No. 9 performance by an American.
"I just want to go out and run it again,'' Williams said. "I would have liked to be in the top five but you can't be too greedy. I just have to think positive and keep on running better and better.''
LaKeisha Backus was second in 6.22 with Esi Benyarku, a
member of Canada's 2000 Olympic finalist 400 relay, in third in 6.26.
Williams hopes Saturday's race will be a springboard for a prosperous 2001 season with
goals that include winning an unprecedented third NCAA 100 title in a row and placing
among the top three at the U.S. nationals in Eugene in June to qualify for the World
Championships in Edmonton this summer.
The 5-foot-2 Williams, the national high school record 100 record holder, had similar aspirations last season but they came to an end in the U.S. Trials when she came down with the flu the day she departed for the meet.
Her appearance at the L.A. Invitational was only the second since the Trials. Her only other race was a subpar in Monterrey, Mexico in August because of windy conditions.
"I try not to dwell on it because it is not something
that really motivates me,'' Williams said. "It is something that brought me down. It
took me a really long time to forget about it. I am just trying to look at it from a
brighter perspective and trying not to put too much on just one
thing.''
Faster times can be expected when Williams competes in the inaugural Powerade indoor championships at the Staples Center on Feb. 11 on a new, all-weather surface.
She will also run on the same Mondo track at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation indoor meet at the Spruce Goose dome on Feb. 25. She also plans to compete in the USA Track & Field indoor champions in Atlanta in March.
"I decided on 2004 put that on the backburner for right now,'' Williams said. "I'm dealing with each year that comes. I am using indoors as training. The start is the best part of my race. Right now, I am working in pieces and putting it all together.''
Bernard Lagat of Kenya, the Olympic bronze medallist in the 1500 metres, turned in a world-leading mark to win the men's mile in 3:57.61. Runner-up Jason Pyrah, a 2000 Olympic 1500m finalist, finished second in 3:58.20 for the best mark by an American this year.
Lagat matched American mile record holder Steve Scott as the only athletes to win the L.A. Invitational three times in a row.
Ryan Hall, a 17-year-old from Big Bear High (Calif.) came up short in an effort to break the four-minute mile but turned in the fastest time by a high school runner in meet history in fourth at 4:09.46.
LeVar Anderson also turned in a world-leading mark in the triple jump with an effort of 54-1 3/4.
Four-time Olympian Johnny Gray of Agoura Hills, the American 800 record holder, won the 600 yards in 1:12.1 to end his short-lived retirement after the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Other winners included Michael Stember in the men's 800 metres (1:49.60); Russ Buller in the pole vault (18-0 1/2), Eugene Swift in the 50m high hurdles (6.54), Jeff Laynes in the 50 metres (5.64).
