National Sprint Champion and New Zealand Team Captain for the World University Games team in Belgrade Monique Williams has won gold in the women’s 200m.
The gold, New Zealand’s first at the Games provided a fitting end to what has now been dubbed “Fantastic Friday” after Stu Farquhar won silver in the javelin and Andrea Miller made it a set by taking bronze in the 100m hurdles.
Williams competing at her second World University Games event ran 23.11secs to beat out 2008 Olympic representatives Isabel Le Roux of South Africa 23.18s and Sabina Veit of Slovenia 23.34s.
The time of 23.11s was Williams second fastest ever over the 200m and will no doubt provide the young star with plenty of confidence as she continues her build up to the IAAF World Championships in Berlin next month.
Williams who studied a Bachelor of Education in Primary School Teaching at the University of Waikato has been in fantastic form this season twice setting and breaking the New Zealand resident’s record over the 200m as well a new national record of 22.98s back in February.
It was these performances which helped Williams gain her first ever selection in a New Zealand senior team and she will debut at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin next month with fellow World University games team members Brent Newdick and Andrea Miller.
New Zealand Chef de Mission Dr Lynne Coleman said, “Monique’s gold really caps off what has been a fantastic Games for Monique personally and the New Zealand team as a whole. Monique’s performances on the track speak for volumes she is a very talented and professional young athlete with a big future in the sport.”
“On top of her own event preparation and competition Monique was also our New Zealand Team Captain. Away from the track she demonstrated the great leadership and personal qualities that to finish the meet with a gold medal was just perfect for her and the team”.
Williams gold medal was New Zealand’s first in Belgrade and the first since Kimberley Smith won the 5,000m event in Turkey back in 2005.
Her gold completed a full set for the New Zealand team at the track after Stuart Farquhar won silver in the javelin and Andrea Miller won bronze in the 100m hurdles. Brent Newdick won New Zealand’s first medal of the Games in the decathlon on Thursday.
For a full programme and events schedule for the 2009 world University Games visit www.ub2009.org.
For more information on the Games and International University Sports events visit www.fisu.net.
The New Zealand delegation to this event is proudly supported by SPARC – the Governing body for Sport and Recreation in New Zealand.
