Ann Williams (athlete)

Ann Margaret Griffiths (née Williams; born 20 August 1965) is a retired English athlete who competed in middle-distance events.[2] In the 800 meters, she won a silver medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and finished seventh in the final at the 1991 World Championships, before going on to represent Great Britain in the 1500 metres at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Ann Griffiths
Personal information
Birth nameAnn Williams
Born (1965-08-20) 20 August 1965 (age 59)
St. Helens, England, United Kingdom
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight60 kg (130 lb)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)800 m, 1500 m
ClubSale Harriers
Medal record
Athletics
Representing  England
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1990 Auckland 800m

Career

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A member of Sale Harriers Manchester athletics club, Williams won a silver medal for England in the 800 metres, at the 1990 Commonwealth Gamesin Auckland, New Zealand, in a race that was a one-two for the club, with the winner being Diane Edwards.[3][4][5]

Williams ran under two minutes for 800m for the first time, when running 1:59.88 for fourth at the 1991 Europa Cup, to become the sixth British woman to break the two-minute barrier (after Christina Boxer, Shireen Bailey, Kirsty McDermott, Lorraine Baker and Diane Edwards). Two months later she reached the final at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, finishing seventh.

Williams achieved her career-best 1500m time of 4:07.59 when winning at the Golden Gala Rome Grand Prix on 9 June 1992. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics she fell in her qualifying heat and was unfortunate to be disqualified.

Now competing under her married name Ann Griffiths, she achieved her career-best at 800m, running 1:59.81 for fifth in the final at the 1994 European Championships.

International competitions

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Year Competition Venue Position Event Notes
Representing   England
1990 Commonwealth Games Auckland, New Zealand 2nd 800 m 2:00.40
Representing   Great Britain
1990 European Championships Split, Yugoslavia 15th (sf) 800 m 2:03.36
1991 European Cup Frankfurt, Germany 4th 800 m 1:59.88
World Championships Tokyo, Japan 7th 800 m 2:01.01
1992 Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain heats (fell) 1500 m DQ
1994 European Championships Helsinki, Finland 5th 800 m 1:59.81
(sf) Indicates overall position in semifinals

National titles

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Personal bests

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Outdoor

Indoor

References

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  1. ^ Sports-Reference profile
  2. ^ Ann Williams at World Athletics  
  3. ^ "1990 Athletes". Team England.
  4. ^ "England team in 1990". Commonwealth Games Federation. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  5. ^ "Athletes and results". Commonwealth Games Federation.