Grounded Jodie Williams continues to fly high

By David Jordan, Sportsbeat, Loughborough

JODIE Williams announced her potential after she won double sprint gold at last year's World Youth Championships. And she underlined it in bold letters at the McCain Loughborough International.

FLYING BUT GROUNDED: Jodie Williams continues to impress - running the fourth fastest 200m of all-time in her age group in Loughborough 

Williams, who doesn't turn 17 until September, had said she planned to keep her season low-key but she stormed to 200m victory in a new 22.79 second personal best, moving her to fourth on the all-time world age group list.

"I didn't realise that I had run the fourth fastest time ever at this age," she admitted, after beating Hayley Jones and Joice Maduaka into the minor places.

"It is a brilliant start to the season as I wasn't expecting anything like that at all. I was aiming to go out and run a 23.5 but I suppose the race just went perfectly for me really."

Williams might fly on the track but she is encouragingly grounded - refusing to get ahead of herself as others talk up her chances of a surprise England selection for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi later this year.

"I'm thinking of going to the World Juniors and that is my main target this year. I want to stick to my own age group rather than running anything senior too soon," added Williams, who is part of select group of rising star athletes given financial backing by UKA sponsor Original Source.

"Even competing at the World Juniors is a step up for me, so going for a senior race will be too much.

"If anything I suppose it would be the Commonwealths but probably not. It would be too long a season with the Games in October and if I went to World Juniors that is where I would want to peak.

"I'm in the middle of doing my GCSE's at the moment and I've got to manage the pressure on me."

* UKA Heroes project sponsored by Original Source is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.