LAURYN WILLIAMS RETURNS FOR CHAMPS HYPE

AMERICAN sprinter Lauryn Williams unwittingly walked into a colours controversy on Friday's third day of the ISSA GraceKennedy Boys and Girls Champs at the National Stadium.

Mere hours after getting off a flight from the USA, she grabbed the first thing she could find and headed for the stadium. It turned out she had on colours closest to Wolmer's and got involved a friendly banter between commentators on a radio station.

Friday was not the first visit for the former IAAF World Championships 100m champion, but it was her first time at Champs, and like most first-timers, was amazed at the energy, noise and excitement of the event.

"So far, so good" she told the Sunday Observer when asked about her brief experience at the world's largest and best high school track and field meet.

"I have seen this stadium packed," said Williams, who won the 100m at the venue in 2002 when Jamaica hosted the IAAF World Junior Championships, "and I know how loud it can get."

This time Williams promised she would be among the thousands "jumping and screaming a shouting along with the competition."

Twenty-six year-old Williams told the Sunday Observer she was invited here by Olympic and World Championships medallist Ato Bolden, with whom she shares Trinidadian ancestry.

She said she knows as well as anyone else the passion Jamaicans have for track and field, having witnessed the Jamaican crowds at the Penn Relays.

Williams, who is renowned for her fast starts and was second to Veronica Campbell Brown in close 100m finish at the 2007 IAAF World Championships and who also has an Olympic silver medal from Athens in 2004, said she was not sure what colours she would wear on yesterday's final day, but ventured that she would look for something green in support of Calabar High.



(jamaicaobserver.com)