Lauryn Williams selling her Nike gear to benefit charity

About the only things Lauryn Williams has more of than medals for running fast are clothes for running fast. So she's doing some spring cleaning.

Organizing her closet is also a metaphor for organizing her mind as she enters the next stage of her track and field career. At 26, the former world champion and Olympic silver medal-winning sprinter is healthy, seasoned and keen to capitalize on her sport's current crest in popularity after years during which it was smudged by scandal.

Williams also has a new sponsor, Saucony. The switch prompted her to shed her Nike gear, a trove of 250 swoosh-adorned items, gently or never used. She's selling the workout clothes and donating all proceeds to the charity Fun 4 Kidz, an organization founded by former University of Miami student Andrew Post that promotes literacy through sports for underprivileged children.

``I've accumulated a lot of stuff and I didn't want it to go to waste,'' Williams said. ``I thought this would be a nice way for people to get workout clothes of high quality at a low price and contribute to a good cause at the same time.''

Williams is offering packs of five items (three tops, two bottoms) for $50, quite a deal considering some items still have $45 price tags on them. She has raised nearly $1,000 so far.

On her website, laurynwilliams.net, Williams asks prospective buyers to describe the person who will benefit from the purchase.

``I've heard from aspiring track athletes, college students, people who want to get back in shape,'' she said. ``One person said she had low self-confidence and so did her daughter and this would inspire them to run.''

Jackie Kosakowski, 26, a former collegiate steeplechase runner who now coaches at Utica (N.Y.) College, is one satisfied customer.

``It's cool to wear something an Olympian wore,'' Kosakowski said. ``She sent a red Nike shirt with Olympic rings and I think, `Maybe Lauryn wore this in Beijing,' and it helps me when I don't want to go out and run.''

At 5-foot-8, Kosakowski was worried the clothes might be too small. Williams is famously short -- 5-foot-3 1/4-inches, emphasis on the 1/4.
``I know she's tiny but everything fit fine because it stretches,'' Kosakowski said.

Not for sale: Williams' U.S. uniforms.

Each brings back memories: her silver in the 100 meters at the 2004 Athens Olympics when she was a 21-year-old unknown; her golds at the 2005 world championships in the 100- and 400-meter relays; silver at 2007 worlds in the 100 in a photo finish against Jamaica's Veronica Campbell and gold in the relay; fourth place in the 100 at the 2008 Beijing Games.

Williams plans to add to that wardrobe at the 2011 worlds in South Korea and the 2012 Olympics in London. This year, her goals are to build strength, hone technique and avoid injury.

The University of Miami graduate, who continues to train at UM under coach Amy Deem, has added swimming, spinning and Pilates to her regimen.

``I get an ugly arm sometimes at full speed so we are working on that detail and hip placement and other little things that could shave off .01 in the long run,'' she said.

Deem and Williams had a heart-to-heart talk after the runner's fifth-place finish at the 2009 world championships.

``She was not happy. I asked some tough questions and we discussed what it would take to get her back on the medal stand,'' Deem said. ``She's made a lot of improvements over the years but at this point she's got to make those last few technical changes to really take ownership of her event.

``One of our goals is for her to become more consistent, more than a big meet performer, and I hope that comes with maturity.''

Williams, who ran her personal best of 10.88 in 2005, will run in about a half-dozen European meets this summer, leaving her plenty of time to train and work on volunteer projects, including the Lauryn Williams Mentoring Program, in which she pairs 40 UM athletes with 40 middle-school students.

For Williams, it's a great time to be a track and field star. The sport is on the upswing thanks to the charismatic, record-obliterating Usain Bolt of Jamaica.

``We want to be the world's best track and field team and we're motivated by the Jamaicans.''

Williams was impressed to see 35,000 spectators at Jamaica's junior championships.

``I wish Americans would catch the fire for track and field, and maybe they will,'' she said. ``We've got lots of interesting characters and the emphasis is on integrity, on competing clean.''

Williams is building for big things in 2011 and 2012.

``I'm getting ready to peak,'' she said. ``Age 26 is the new 18.''



(miamiherald.com)