By Alpheus Finlayson
Tonique Williams-Darling, the Bahamian quarter-miler who handed 400m World Champion Ana Guevara her first defeat in 28 races, was born in Nassau, The Bahamas on the 17th of January, 1976.
Williams attended St. John's College, an Anglican High School in Nassau. Her principle coach was Sydney Cartwright, head of The Bahamas Tigers Track Club, of which she was a member.
During her junior years, Williams competed throughout the Caribbean. At the Carifta Games held in Nassau in 1992, she was fourth in the Under-17 Girls 400m in a time of 54.93secs. The next year at the Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia, Williams ran on the 1600m relay team that finished fourth in 3:38.95. The team was made up of Debbie Ferguson, Vernetta Rolle, and Savetheda Fynes.
The year 1994 was significant for Williams, as she placed second in the 400m at the Carifta Games in Barbados in 53.72secs. At this meet, she was a member of the 1600m relay team that set a national record of 3:36.53, a time that still stands. The other team members were Debbie Ferguson, Vernetta Rolle, and Ingrid Sears.
Williams was disqualified in the 400m in the first round of her event in the IAAF World Junior Championships in Lisbon.
Williams moved on to the University of South Carolina. At the 1997 Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in San Juan, she was a member of the gold medal winning 400m relay team that set a new championship record of 44.00secs. Her teammates were Eldece Clarke-Lewis, Dewana Wright, and Debbie Ferguson.
In that meet, Williams won the bronze medal in her individual event in 52.38secs, finishing just ahead of Ana Guevara of Mexico, who clocked 52.88secs.
Tonique made the Athens World Championships team and finished fifth in her first round heat in 52.30secs. In the second round she finished eighth in 54.23secs.
Williams competed in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Japan in 1999, placing fourth in heat four in 54.65secs.
At the 1999 Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in Barbados, Williams won the silver medal in 52.22secs. In Seville, Williams placed fifth in her first round heat with a 52.95secs clocking. Her best in 2000 was 52.35secs, done in winning the Mt. SAC Relays.
In 2001, Williams took a break from the sport, returning with a vengeance in 2003. She moved to Norfolk, Virginia, under the tutelage of Steve Riddick.
At the 2003 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, she won her heat in 52.04secs. Although she dominated the semi-final, she was disqualified due to a lane violation.
Williams married her high school friend, Bahamian quarter-miler Dennis Darling, in May 2003.
At the IAAF World Championships in Paris that August, she finished fifth in 50.38secs. At the inaugural World Athletic Final in Monaco, Williams-Darling finished third. Her best time in 2003 was 50.24secs, done at Zurich on August 15th.
This year has been fantastic for Williams-Darling. She finished third in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest in a new Bahamian indoor national record of 50.87secs.
When Williams-Darling moved outdoors her luck improved. She won the 400m in Ostrava, The Czech Republic in 50.28secs. Later that week at the Golden League meeting in Bergen, Sweden, she smashed the 50-second barrier for the first time, running 49.78secs, the world leader at that time.
If this was not enough, Williams-Darling ended Mexican superstar Ana Guevara's 28-race win streak in an upset win at Rome's Golden Gala. Williams-Darling ran a new Bahamian record of 49.25secs.
At the Gaz de France Golden League meeting in Paris on July 24th, Williams-Darling further lowered the Bahamian national record, running a tenth of a second faster with a 49.15secs performance.
Ana Guevara made another attempt at Williams in Zurich on the 6th of August and again came up empty handed. The Mexican took her race to Williams-Darling. The pace was hot, and it seemed Guevara was back on track. Williams-Darling remained calm and pulled away at the end of the race, winning in 49.73secs to Guevara's 50.18secs. Williams-Darling remains unbeaten this season.
With only two Golden League meetings remaining, Williams-Darling is now one of only four athletes remaining in the hunt for a portion of the Pot of Gold.
The Zurich race has given Williams-Darling all the confidence she needs going into the Athens Olympics.
Standing 5'3", she weighs 125 lbs.
Williams-Darling earned her degree in Finance/Insurance.
Quarter Final Saturday, 21st August 2:45PM
Semi Final Sunday, 22nd August 1:15PM
Final Tuesday, 24th August 3:50PM
By Alpheus Finlayson
Tonique Williams-Darling, the Bahamian quarter-miler who handed 400m World Champion Ana Guevara her first defeat in 28 races, was born in Nassau, The Bahamas on the 17th of January, 1976.
Williams attended St. John's College, an Anglican High School in Nassau. Her principle coach was Sydney Cartwright, head of The Bahamas Tigers Track Club, of which she was a member.
During her junior years, Williams competed throughout the Caribbean. At the Carifta Games held in Nassau in 1992, she was fourth in the Under-17 Girls 400m in a time of 54.93secs. The next year at the Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia, Williams ran on the 1600m relay team that finished fourth in 3:38.95. The team was made up of Debbie Ferguson, Vernetta Rolle, and Savetheda Fynes.
The year 1994 was significant for Williams, as she placed second in the 400m at the Carifta Games in Barbados in 53.72secs. At this meet, she was a member of the 1600m relay team that set a national record of 3:36.53, a time that still stands. The other team members were Debbie Ferguson, Vernetta Rolle, and Ingrid Sears.
Williams was disqualified in the 400m in the first round of her event in the IAAF World Junior Championships in Lisbon.
Williams moved on to the University of South Carolina. At the 1997 Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in San Juan, she was a member of the gold medal winning 400m relay team that set a new championship record of 44.00secs. Her teammates were Eldece Clarke-Lewis, Dewana Wright, and Debbie Ferguson.
In that meet, Williams won the bronze medal in her individual event in 52.38secs, finishing just ahead of Ana Guevara of Mexico, who clocked 52.88secs.
Tonique made the Athens World Championships team and finished fifth in her first round heat in 52.30secs. In the second round she finished eighth in 54.23secs.
Williams competed in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Japan in 1999, placing fourth in heat four in 54.65secs.
At the 1999 Central American and Caribbean Senior Athletics Championships in Barbados, Williams won the silver medal in 52.22secs. In Seville, Williams placed fifth in her first round heat with a 52.95secs clocking. Her best in 2000 was 52.35secs, done in winning the Mt. SAC Relays.
In 2001, Williams took a break from the sport, returning with a vengeance in 2003. She moved to Norfolk, Virginia, under the tutelage of Steve Riddick.
At the 2003 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, she won her heat in 52.04secs. Although she dominated the semi-final, she was disqualified due to a lane violation.
Williams married her high school friend, Bahamian quarter-miler Dennis Darling, in May 2003.
At the IAAF World Championships in Paris that August, she finished fifth in 50.38secs. At the inaugural World Athletic Final in Monaco, Williams-Darling finished third. Her best time in 2003 was 50.24secs, done at Zurich on August 15th.
This year has been fantastic for Williams-Darling. She finished third in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Budapest in a new Bahamian indoor national record of 50.87secs.
When Williams-Darling moved outdoors her luck improved. She won the 400m in Ostrava, The Czech Republic in 50.28secs. Later that week at the Golden League meeting in Bergen, Sweden, she smashed the 50-second barrier for the first time, running 49.78secs, the world leader at that time.
If this was not enough, Williams-Darling ended Mexican superstar Ana Guevara's 28-race win streak in an upset win at Rome's Golden Gala. Williams-Darling ran a new Bahamian record of 49.25secs.
At the Gaz de France Golden League meeting in Paris on July 24th, Williams-Darling further lowered the Bahamian national record, running a tenth of a second faster with a 49.15secs performance.
Ana Guevara made another attempt at Williams in Zurich on the 6th of August and again came up empty handed. The Mexican took her race to Williams-Darling. The pace was hot, and it seemed Guevara was back on track. Williams-Darling remained calm and pulled away at the end of the race, winning in 49.73secs to Guevara's 50.18secs. Williams-Darling remains unbeaten this season.
With only two Golden League meetings remaining, Williams-Darling is now one of only four athletes remaining in the hunt for a portion of the Pot of Gold.
The Zurich race has given Williams-Darling all the confidence she needs going into the Athens Olympics.
Standing 5'3", she weighs 125 lbs.
Williams-Darling earned her degree in Finance/Insurance.
Quarter Final Saturday, 21st August 2:45PM
Semi Final Sunday, 22nd August 1:15PM
Final Tuesday, 24th August 3:50PM
