AN exceptional performance from sixteen-year-old Hyland Park runner Daniel Williams at the National Athletics Titles in Adelaide last month saw him take home gold in both the Under 20 and Under 18 1500m events.

Williams was able to outpace some of his more experienced rivals in the under 20 event and crossed the line with a convincing winning margin.

“Six days later in the under 18 event the approach was a little different as Daniel continually lifted the speed and cleared out from the remainder of the field for an emphatic win that was also a new championship record, meaning no athlete has been that quick at any previous under 18 national title,” Daniel’s Coach Andrew Rowlings told News Of The Area.

The National Titles in Adelaide were the culmination of a hectic year for the young track runner.

The last twelve months have seen Daniel compete In Trinidad and Tobago at the Commonwealth Youth Games, regular racing at meets in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra as well as managing Year 11 studies at Bishop Druitt College.

Daniel also spends much of his school holidays patrolling local beaches as a lifeguard.

The competition program over the next twelve months looks just as busy for Daniel, beginning with the Oceania Games in Fiji next month, the World Under 20 Athletics Championships in Peru in August, and then back on the track for another domestic racing season.

In relation to his goals for the upcoming international track meetings, Daniel said, “I need to remain realistic in Peru, as I will be among the youngest competitors there, so primarily running a personal best time is step one, and hoping to make the 1500m final on the back of that.

“The objective over the past few years has been to achieve maximum return on minimum investment, not exhausting myself with long kilometres and instead aim to get my top end speed as high as possible.”

Daniel’s coach said preparation for Peru will be “all about leg-speed and acceleration”.

“(We will be) working on the natural attributes that set him aside from some of the other runners who definitely accumulate a lot higher weekly mileage.”

By Mick BIRTLES