Briana Williams, a 17-year-old Jamaican sprint phenom, withdrew from the world championships the day before the women’s 100m begins, despite being cleared of a potential ban for a positive drug test.
Williams posted on social media that she had not flown to Doha before a Jamaican panel decided not to punish her over a positive test from June. The panel reportedly ruled that she was not at fault for a guardian giving her a tablet that caused the positive.
Last month, Williams’ attorney said the sprinter took a legal cold medication and listed it on her doping control form. Via lab tests, tablets were found to contain a banned diuretic that was not listed among its ingredients.
“Considering the long trip to Doha and that the team has already started training for the relays. I am just relieved and thankful after what has been a very emotional summer,” was posted on her social media Friday. “I would like to once again express my gratitude to everyone right across Jamaica who reached out to show support.”
Williams ran the fastest 100m in history for an under-18 woman at the Jamaican Championships on June 21, taking third in 10.94 seconds with a fever behind the last two Olympic champions, Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. She ranks sixth in the world this year.
Thompson, Fraser-Pryce and Brit Dina Asher-Smith are the three fastest women in the field at worlds.
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