When Lauryn Williams was four years old, she was playing the neighborhood with her German Shepard, Ben. She had a habit of running home with Ben, and she would make a bit of a game of it. One day, as her mother observed, Lauryn was sprinting home besides Ben, and she passed him on her way home, sprinting with abandon. That night, her mother signed her up for her first track club, and the rest, as they say, is track & field history....




Lauryn Williams with Sharon Barbano, photo courtesy of Matt Teuten Photography

On Thursday, April 15, 2010, Saucony President, Richie Woodworth, announced, in front of the assembled company, that Lauryn Williams, had been signed by Saucony as a sponsored athlete. Saucony, one of the premier performance brands in running, had signed Wallace Spearmon, and now, Lauryn Williams, as they begin to develop a global sports marketing presence.

The Saucony staff, like they were, with Wallace Spearmon, were treated to an off-beat, humorous interview, by VP of Communications, Sharon Barbano, of Lauryn Williams. Sharon and Lauryn had the crowd laughing at one time, fascinated at the other. Among the trivia on Lauryn: She has a degree in Finance from University of Miami. Lauryn has her real estate license. Favorite color is purple. Believes in biting off more than she can chew. Five sisters and two brothers, proficient in sign language, has a great Dane, Athens, who she calls " a Diva.", has a Mickey Mouse tattoo, and collects all things, Mickey Mouse.
 
Lauryn Williams is one of the elite in U.S. sprinting. She gets better in rounds in a championship event. As a senior at the University of Miami, Lauryn won the 100 meters in 10.97, the second fastest time of the year. She went on to win the Olympic silver medal in Athens, the gold at 100 meters, and as part of the 4 x 100 meters in 2005 in Helsinki World Champs, and an agonizingly close silver in the 100 meters in Osaka in the 2007 World Champs.


In my mind, though, Lauryn has shown her class and grace throughout her career. Her motto, "Hard work knows no limits." is as important to her as the air she breathes. Her coach, Amy Dean and her been together since her frosh year at the University of Miami. She gives back to the sport, and her community, always grateful for the gifts she has had and continues to have. An intensely positive and spiritual person, Lauryn knows that she has a gift and believes that she has a duty, to her Creator, to use that gift, and give back to her community.

(One more bit of background info. While I was doing the interview, Lauryn had brought one of her good friends, a former teammate, now a track coach, who was, in fact, coaching Lauryn's
little sister--they had been on the state championship 4 x 100 m relay team in high school together!)
 
RBR, 1: What was your first running experience?

Lauryn Williams: My mother took me to my first event. It was an inner city track meet in
Detroit, Michigan. I had been educated in private schools, totally different environment.
I did not enjoy my first experience. In fact, I ran screaming away from the track!

RBR, 2: How did you get involved in the sport?

Lauryn Williams: When I was a kid, I use to play with my German Sheperd, Ben. I would
take him into the neighborhood, and one day, when I was four or five, I beat Ben on our
run home. My mother then signed me up for the local track club.

RBR, 3: When were you  running for a track club?

Lauryn Williams: I started in the track club when I was I was nine. I did not like the club,
so I returned to track when I was in sixth grade, through eighth grade.

RBR, 4: How did you like the track club?

Lauryn Williams: It was easy, my attitude at the time was, win, as long as I won,
it was cool!