Novlene Williams-Mills on a mission this season

Jamaica’s quarter-miler Novlene Williams-Mills is experiencing a rebirth this season. She is perhaps the hottest athlete on the circuit at the moment. The 30-year old Essex County College (NJ) graduate has the track world abuzz by running three of the four fastest 400m times in the world so far this season (49.99, 50.00 and 50.35).  In the process, she has defeated both the reigning 400m indoor champion Sanya Richards-Ross and world champion Amantle Montsho. Impressive Start Fast start is nothing new for the talent Williams-Mills. Last year, she started the season with a bang- defeating Sanya Richards-Ross at the 2011 Jamaica Invitational in a time of 50.71 seconds.  Williams-Mills ended the 2011 season by finishing in 8^th position in the 400m finals at the Daegu world championships. But her four wins so far this season have somehow signaled an aura of confidence and invincibility that has sparked excitement among Jamaican track fans. What has been very impressive about Williams-Mills this season is that she seems to have spent a lot of time in the weight-room during the off-season and she is obviously in great shape, added to the fact that her coaching staff has tweaked her approach to running the 400m. Based on her performance so far this season, William-Mills strategy of  keeping up with the pace and then unleashing her powerful kick during the stretch-run is very effective and should serve her well as she is expected to get faster as the season progresses.  With each win, comes a growing level of confidence. Knowing that she has defeated her main competitors during the season should certainly give Williams-Mills a mental edge going into the Jamaican Trials and London 2012. Can she make History? No Jamaican woman quarter-miler has ever stood atop the Olympic podium.   Lorraine Graham (49.58) and Shericka Williams (49.69) were silver medalist at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics, respectively. Perhaps this is the year when Jamaica will have its first women’s 400m Olympic champion in the form of Novlene Williams-Mills. But track fans know that it is a long season and Allyson Felix, Amantle Montsho, Richards-Ross and company are not yet in peak form. If Williams-Mills keeps defeating her competitors, there is no denying her the top spot on the podium in London.