Monique Williams (athlete)

Monique Williams
Personal information
Born (1985-09-23) 23 September 1985 (age 39)
Tokoroa, New Zealand
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportAthletics
Medal record
Women's Athletics
Representing  New Zealand
Oceania Championships
Gold medal – first place 2006 Apia 200 m
Gold medal – first place 2006 Apia 400 m
Gold medal – first place 2006 Apia 800 m medley relay
(Mixed)
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Apia 4x100 m relay
Summer Universiade
Gold medal – first place 2009 Belgrade 200 m

Monique Williams (born 23 September 1985) is a New Zealand sprinter from Tokoroa.

Williams became the first New Zealand female sprinter to win a gold medal at a major world championship event, when she won the 200 m at the World University Games (Universiade) in Belgrade during 2009.

In doing so she became only the second Kiwi sprinter to win gold at a world event, after Don Jowett won the 220 yards at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Williams was selected as the flag Bearer for New Zealand at the 2009 Universiade.

During her development years, in 2006 she was awarded a New Zealand Prime Minister's Scholarship from Helen Clark, recognising Williams as an emerging and talented New Zealander. Williams won three consecutive New Zealand Athletics titles in the 100, 200 and 400 m in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Williams broke the New Zealand national record for 200 m which had stood for almost 31 years, when she ran 22.98 in February 2009. She then ran 22.96 in the heats of the IAAF 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, before running 22.90s in the final, a record which lasted until 19 February 2023.

In 2009 Williams was named Auckland's North Shore Sports Personality of the Year and was short-listed for the Halberg Awards.

Williams graduated from Waikato University with a Bachelor of Education in primary school teaching and is a qualified primary school teacher.

Achievements

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing  New Zealand
2000 World Junior Championships Santiago, Chile 8th 4 × 400 m relay 3:49.87
2004 World Junior Championships Grosseto, Italy 24th (h) 200m 24.43 (wind: +0.5 m/s)
14th (sf) 400m 56.13
2006 Oceania Championships Apia, Samoa 1st 200 m 23.72 s (wind: +0.8 m/s)
1st 400 m 55.21 s
3rd 4 × 100 m relay 48.94 s
1st Mixed 800 m medley relay 1:35.62 min
2007 Universiade Bangkok, Thailand 7th 200 m 24.08
2009 Universiade Belgrade, Serbia 1st 200 m 23.11
World Championships Berlin, Germany 12th (sf) 200 m 22.90
2010 Commonwealth Games Delhi, India 6th 200 m 23.71

Personal bests

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Distance Time Place Date
100 m 11.64 Wellington, New Zealand 27 March 2009
200 m 22.90 NR Berlin, Germany 20 August 2009
400 m 51.88 Brisbane, Australia 20 March 2009
800 m 2:09.09 Debrecen, Hungary 12 July 2010

References

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