With four senior international medals already secured, Enfield and Haringey sprinter Bianca Williams is desperate to add to the collection at next month’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Williams shot to prominence during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, taking bronze in the 200m before picking up another third place in the 4x100m relay.
The 22-year-old is part of Team GB’s seven-strong 4x100m relay squad heading to Rio next month and Williams is confident the team can repeat their 2014 success on the biggest stage.
“Since 2014 it has been non-stop, really up and down, but it’s been really cool at the same time,” said the 2010 England under-17 100m champion.
“British women’s sprinting is so good right now, it has been absolutely nuts for the last three years.
“It is so good that we get the recognition, from other people, and press, so that it’s not just the men, it is the women too — it’s nice to feel noticed and recognised.
“I don’t know how we did it but 2014 was just the best year. And even 2015 was good to be fair, I didn’t start my season that well but ended on a high.
“And it’s been the same this year, I didn’t start particularly well but I’ve got the high of the Olympics now.
“The target is a medal, we nearly got one at the World Championships in Beijing last year, so it’s not that far away.”
Williams has just graduated from the University of East London with a degree in sport and exercise science.
Shorn of the responsibility of studying, revision and exams, she is now totally focused on the final build up to her debut Olympic Games.
“I’m just excited to be there and soak it all in,” she said.
“I’ve not really spoken to anyone else about what the Games are like, I just want to see it for myself, not from someone else’s perspective.
“But my friend Amy is going for swimming so it’s going to be cool to have her there, and she went to 2012 too so it will be nice to chill with her, to have her show me around.”
Williams’ Olympic experience actually began four years ago when she competed in the London Olympic Stadium in the 2012 BUCS Championships.
More than 60 per cent of British gold medallists since 1992 have participated in BUCS sport, with 56 members of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics competing for Great Britain at the World University Games.
With the Rio Games just weeks away, Williams said the lessons learned at BUCS will stand her in good stead in Brazil.
“BUCS is cool, you get to compete against some of the fastest girls from around the UK,” added the 2015 BUCS indoor 60m champion.
“You don’t really get to do that too often. I did indoors and won, that was really cool, really nice to see my teammates there.
“It sets you up really well for big events as a senior, you learn how to deal with your emotions.”
British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) is the national governing body for Higher Education (HE) sport in the UK, representing more than 150 institutions. Covering 52 sports, BUCS aids grass roots participation through to supporting aspiring elite athletes en route to Commonwealth or Olympic Games www.bucs.org.uk
