Briana Williams, 19, Jamaican Olympic champion who won a gold medal as a member of the country’s women’s 4×100-meter relay team at the Tokyo Olympics, was honored with the Consul General of Miami Heritage Award at a ceremony in Sunrise, Florida, on November 7, 2021. She was one of ten individuals and two organizations receiving the honor and was recognized for her contributions to youth leadership and global excellence. In presenting Williams with the award, Consul General Oliver Mair called her a “shining example of excellence” to Jamaicans around the world. He also thanked her mother for providing the guidance and support Williams needed to achieve her goals.

During the Tokyo Olympics, members of Williams’ Miramar, Florida, community held watch parties and saw her run the lead-off leg for Jamaica’s 4×100-meter women’s relay team that set a national record with the third-fastest time in history, clocking 41.02 seconds in the event.

Williams was born in 2002 in Miami, Florida, and in 2018, when she was just 16 years old, she became the youngest athlete to win the women’s 100-meter and 200-meter double at the World Under-20 Championships. Her time of 11.13 seconds in the girls’ 100-meters set the girls’ age-15 world record in March of 2018. Williams is also the record holder in the Jamaican Under-18 and Under-20 women’s 100 meters and 200 meters with times of 10.97 seconds and 22.50 seconds, respectively. She was nominated for the IAAF Female Rising Star and the Laureus Breakthrough of the Year Awards in 2018.

Williams said she was honored by the award and thanked the Consul General. When the event’s featured musical artists The Tennors performed “Ride You Donkey” Williams took to the dancefloor and enjoyed herself. She added that it was a pleasure to attend the celebration and to meet the other awardees.

The Consulate General of Jamaica’s Heritage Award was established to honor the outstanding service and dedication of individuals and businesses in the Jamaican community.

Photo – Xavier Murphy