In January this year, a notable list emerged in the track and field world, highlighting Jamaican women athletes with the most sub-11-second performances in the 100m. Unsurprisingly, topping the list was Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the 10-time world champion, boasting an incredible 86 sub-11 clockings. And with more races ahead, she still has opportunities to add to that number. Interestingly, further down the list was an athlete once hailed as the youngest athlete to achieve the 100m and 200m double at the 2018 World U20 Championships. She held the 9th spot with six sub-11 finishes. She was also on the verge of joining Shelly-Ann on another elite list — but then…

On June 27, Briana Williams lined up in Heat 3 of the women’s 100m semifinal at the Jamaican National Championships. She finished third with a time of 11.20 seconds, trailing behind Tina Clayton (10.93) and Jodean Williams (11.08). Unfortunately, that third-place finish wasn’t enough to secure a spot in the final. With only the 200m event remaining as her last chance to qualify for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, hopes were still alive — but things didn’t unfold as planned.

On June 29, Briana Williams faced disappointment once again and was disqualified for a false start in the women’s 200m final. Sadly, this wasn’t the first setback in her attempt to make the national team. In both 2022 and 2023, she competed in the women’s 100m at the Jamaican National Senior Championships, but fell just short each time, finishing fourth and narrowly missing out on a place in the final. Track and field fans took notice of this surprising string of outcomes. And rightfully so, they were heartbroken for her.

One fan expressed on X, “this nationals has been ROUGH for her. poor thing.” Indeed, Briana Williams’ struggles didn’t begin in 2022 or 2023 — even back in 2021, she competed in the women’s 100m at the Jamaican Championships but fell just short of the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 11.01 seconds (+1.0 m/s). These near misses have repeatedly kept her from qualifying for the World Championships in individual events. Still, she found success as part of the Jamaican 4x100m relay team, helping secure silver medals in both 2022 and 2023. But this year feels different, and fans across the track and field community have taken notice.

The track and field fans feel gutted for the athlete 

“I am gutted for Briana Williams.” one fan wrote on X, echoing the heartbreak shared by many in the track and field community. Once hailed among Jamaica’s elite—with her name featured on the prestigious list of most sub-11 performances alongside icons like Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson—Briana was expected to continue her climb. But while Shelly-Ann and Shericka secured their spots for Tokyo, Briana’s journey was cut short.

It wasn’t the first time. As one brutally honest post put it, “Briana either false starts to win or gets rolled badly every year.” The issue has haunted her for some time. And yet, heading into these championships, Williams had shown remarkable consistency, hitting the podium in every race this season. She seemed to be rounding into form, her confidence quietly rebuilding. But then came Sunday, June 29—and everything unraveled in a fraction of a second.

“she’s been false starting lately.” another observer noted, pointing out a troubling pattern. Still, amid the disappointment, there were voices of optimism. A fan, recognizing the potential still burning within the young sprinter, wrote: “Rough trials for her but I’ve seen small progress this year in due time it will come together.” Perhaps that’s the truth Briana, coached by Ato Boldon needs to hold on to—not just the pain of setbacks, but the promise in progress.