The British athlete looks back on her stellar career which has seen her shine on the world stage in the 100m, 200m and 400m.
Jody Williams, a three-time Olympian, officially announced her retirement last month, ending her incredible career after her final performance at the Paris Olympics.
There she helped Team GB secure a bronze medal in the women’s 4x400m relay, a fitting end to a journey that spanned more than a decade and included many highs, some lows and some very hard-earned success.
The 31-year-old is leaving the sport on her own terms, which she’s fine with. His final race in Paris was not just about a medal, it was about being able to walk away knowing he had done everything he set out to do.
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(@jodiealicia)“It’s really special for me to be able to walk away knowing that I’ve done everything I wanted to do and I’ve been very present in the last years of my career,” Williams says.
“I can go on my own terms, not have an injury or something force me out, or just my body give up on me.
“I’ve always wanted to make sure I wrap things up consciously, and this is the right time for me. Mentally, the last three years have been a real push and I’m really proud of myself for what I’ve been able to achieve.”
Williams’ success began when he was still a teenager. He quickly rose to prominence as a teenager, claiming world junior and youth titles over 100m.
He also won European Junior and Under-23 gold medals while also winning European gold medals AW front cover on many occasions.
AW archive 2010
As a senior sprinter, Williams found her breakthrough in the 200m, where she would go on to win numerous medals, including silver at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games.
She cemented herself as Britain’s sixth-fastest 200m runner, clocking a personal best of 22.46 in 2014 and finishing second behind Daphne Schippers at the European Championships.
Looking back, Williams proudly highlights her standout moments, particularly her triumphs at Glasgow 2014 and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, where she won silver in the 200m and bronze in the 400m respectively.
“My individual Commonwealth medals were really special to me. Glasgow was my first senior medal and I shared the podium with Bianca (Williams), in 2022 I got to share the podium with Victoria (Ohuruogu) and both of those moments were very exciting moments in my career.
“You know, 2022 was a really hard year for me. I had a really big slump in 2021 and my body broke down and I didn’t get to train much at all. It was a huge push and I took a lot of risks to get myself to that stage, so the medal was very special to me.”
Jody Williams (Mark Shearman)
One of the highlights of Williams’ career came when she switched from the 100m and 200m to focus on the 400m. It was not an easy decision, but it was a decisive one.
“I always knew I had the drive for the 400m, but I’m a very passionate person and I’m only going to go for something if it’s something I love,” Williams said.
“I was never interested in running 400m, even though I knew I had a talent for it. I was dealing with this a few years before the epidemic and had some time to think about it.
“I was confused about sports and felt that if I didn’t try something new, I probably wouldn’t be able to continue doing sports much longer. I thought it would turn things around for me, and it sure did.”
Williams got serious about the 400m in 2019, joining the 4x400m relay team at the World Championships in Doha. The team of Williams, Emily Diamond, Zoe Clark and Lavai Nielsen took fourth place.
GB Women 4X400m (Mark Shearman)
In his second Olympic appearance in Tokyo, after reaching the 200m semi-finals at Rio 2016, he finished 6th in the 400m final in his fastest ever time of 49.47.
Williams was also a member of the 4x400m team that finished fifth, a sign that her switch to the 400m was paying off.
But it was in Paris that he provided the final vindication. Running third in the 4x400m, Williams clocked a 51.39 to help the team secure a spot in the finals.
After a final team change, all eight athletes, including Amber Anning, Yemi Mary John, Hannah Kelly, Lavai Nielsen, Lina Nielsen, Nicole Yaregin and Victoria Ohuruogu, managed to share the bronze podium.
Jodie Williams (Getty)
“I’ve always loved the 4x400ms, it’s such a different event than the flat,” Williams says. “I’ve always watched them and I really like running with a group, so I think it’s really cool that it became my Olympic medal.
“Standing on that podium with those girls was incredible and it was so special that all eight of us stood on the podium together. It was a full-circle moment to share the podium with so many incredible women.”
Although Williams had already decided to retire before the Games, it was the medal and the outpouring of support that made her realize the impact she had made over the years.
“MeIt’s funny, when I actually made the announcement, suddenly it all felt very real,” Williams says. “Seeing the outpouring of love was honestly so touching.
“I don’t think you always realize the impact you’ve had when you’re so focused on training and doing what you do. I’ve always been someone who wants to stay very authentic and I’ve always tried to be very open and try to get a better understanding of the reality of the sport.
“Eh?What I wanted to be in sports, regardless of achievements and medals, is someone who was just genuine and true to themselves and didn’t feel pressured to move a certain way. I’m just very happy that so many people have seen it and accepted it.”
You can find all our original coverage of Williams’ achievements over the years via Athletics Weekly Archive.
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