Running Strong
Rochester's Lauryn Williams readies for Worlds
By Walter Villa

Newly-minted WPIAL Hall of Famer Lauryn Williams proved last year to be the fastest non-Jamaican female sprinter in the world.

Yet, when she returned from the Olympics in Beijing, she was greeted by loads of hate e-mail from people who blamed her for not adding to the U.S. medal count.

"I came home thinking I was a failure," said Williams, a Rochester, Pa., native who finished fourth in the 100 meters behind three Jamaicans.

Williams also ran the anchor leg in the 4X100 relay but failed to create a good baton exchange with Torri Edwards, causing the U.S. to get eliminated in the semifinal heat.

Williams then got a painful dose of perspective last fall, when her father David, who had battled leukemia since 1989, died at age 55.

"He died Oct. 26, 2008," said Williams of her father, who was a minister and a former runner, swimmer and javelin thrower. "He was all set to come to Beijing, but he took a turn for the worse just before the Olympics. He was in the hospital the whole time.

"Losing him taught me that even though I want to win, at the end of the day, it's still just a race. I know that my dad would be proud of me."

Former University of Miami teammate Wylleashia Myrick said Williams handled her dad's passing with incredible strength.

"I cried for her," Myrick said. "I am pretty sure she had her moments. But around us, she was strong. I called her every day to check on her, but she was good.

"After a while, she was her same, bubbly self. 'Morning everybody!' That's Lauryn."

It's also just like Lauryn Williams to battle for her sport, which enjoys great popularity during the Olympics but gets little attention in the U.S. the rest of the time.

And even when American fans do recognize Williams, many don't fully understand the track and field season.

"People often ask: 'Oh, are you training for the next Olympics?' '' Williams said. "I explain that, no, I am training for the World Championships, held every year. That's just as important as the Olympics to track athletes."

This year's World Championships are set for Berlin from Aug. 15-23. To get there, Williams will have to qualify at the USATF Outdoor Championships June 24-27 in Eugene, Ore.

Williams said she is bothered by the lack of track coverage in the U.S. media, citing the Penn Relays in Philadelphia this past April as a prime example.

"We had a full stadium (more than 47,000 fans) for a major meet, and we didn't even get a clip on (ESPN's) SportsCenter," said Williams, who now lives in Miami. "That was a slap in the face."

Williams said track gets more respect in Europe.

"We get covered like a real sport over there, like football is here," she said. "You go to Berlin or Paris or Belgium, and you have full stadiums, media coverage, fans screaming your name as you get off the bus."

Williams said American fans seem to like track in the Olympics, but the sport then disappears from media view.

Perhaps the sport's image was tarnished by steroid users such as Marion Jones and Ben Johnson. But Williams said track and field is now doing a good job of testing their athletes to ensure an even playing field.

"I have more confidence now," she said, "that if and when I get beat, I get beat by someone who is working just as hard as I am as opposed to someone who (cheated)."

Williams said there have been no such shortcuts in her success story. From kindergarten to sixth grade, she lived in an all-black neighborhood in Detroit before moving back to Rochester.

"I was one of only two black girls in my graduating class (at Rochester High)," said Williams, who will be inducted into the WPIAL Hall on June 19. "But I was accepted right away. I was class president all four years."

For college, Williams, who wanted to go somewhere warm, happily signed with Miami.

"Lots of kids get homesick when they are away at college," she said. "But I never once woke up and said, 'Why am I here?' I was happy every day."

One of her happiest moments at UM came in 2004, when she won a national championship, clocking 10.97 in the 100, the fifth-fastest time in NCAA history.

She was also a success in the classroom, needing just 3.5 years to earn her degree in finance, adding an MBA just last month by taking online courses.

"Lauryn is dedicated, determined and disciplined," former Miami teammate and current training partner Myrick said. "And God blessed her with speed and strength."

Williams used her blessings to win Olympic silver in the 100 meters at Athens in 2004. And in honor of that feat, she named her 115-pound Great Dane "Atheena."

But the dog does not take after her master.

"She is kind of uncoordinated and lazy," Williams said with a laugh. "I am definitely faster than Atheena."

Williams was also faster than any woman in the world in 2005, winning gold at the World Championships in Helsinki.

She owns three other World Championship medals: a gold in the 2005 4X100 relay, a gold in the 2007 4X100 relay and a silver in the 2007 100 meters.

After the disappointment in Beijing, Williams got some revenge at the recent Penn Relays, running the leadoff leg for the 4X100 relay team that beat Jamaica and won gold.

But Williams, 25 and unmarried, has ambitions beyond track. She said she wants a family of her own, even if she is not sure when that will happen.

"I am not even dating," she said. "A lot of people see me as this independent woman and assume that I will run forever. They don't know how much I want children."

But until a dog-loving, big-hearted Mr. Right comes along and sweeps the 5-foot-3 Williams off her blazing-fast feet, she will focus on track. She said the left-hamstring injury that has bothered her for the past couple years is "98 percent" healed.

"From my perspective, she looks fit and fabulous," University of Miami track coach Amy Deem said. "This is the most disciplined I've ever seen her. My expectations for Lauryn are for her to medal at the Worlds.

"She's just so competitive," Deem said. "She loves running in front of crowds. She handles pressure very well, and that is something you can't teach. She is a great talent."