Sada Williams created history for Barbados this afternoon by becoming the first Barbadian woman to reach an Olympic athletic final. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist clocked 49.83 seconds at the track at the Stade de France before a cheering crowd, including a contingent from Barbados, to place seventh in the 400-metre final.
Having qualified for the semifinals in 50.45 seconds, the two-time World Championship Bronze medallist (2022 and 2023) delivered a strong performance on Wednesday, placing third with a time of 49.89 seconds. The 26-year-old bettered her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games when she clocked 50.11 seconds—the fastest non-qualifying time for the finals.
Entering the finals with the fifth fastest time, Williams, who started in Lane 2, ran an impressive race and improved upon her semifinal time. Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, a fellow Caribbean national, won the final with a new Olympic record of 48.17 seconds after cementing a comfortable lead halfway through the race. All eight finalists finished the race in less than 50 seconds.
Williams’ journey to the Olympic finals has been nothing short of inspirational. She delivered a string of impressive performances, including a significant win at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in an impressive record-setting performance, with a time of 49.90 seconds. Williams, who holds the national record for the 400m, with a time of 49.75 seconds, has been steadily solidifying her status as a top contender on the international stage.
President of the Barbados Olympic Association, Sandra Osborne, expressed her heartfelt congratulations, stating “We are immensely proud of Sada, who has displayed extraordinary talent and determination throughout her athletic career. Her performance is a testament to her hard work, dedication, and the support of her coaches, family, and the entire nation. As a recipient of an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship, Sada has exemplified the spirit of Olympism and has made Barbados proud again. The Barbados Olympic Association commends her for inspiring numerous young athletes to pursue their aspirations and wishes her all the best in all her future endeavours.”
Meanwhile, the Chef de Mission for the Paris 2024 Olympics, Cameron Burke, mentioned that the four-member Barbados team had a commendable performance at the Games and described Williams securing a spot in the 400m final as the highlight of their showing. He said, “We were well represented by Matthew Wright, Jack Kirby, and Tristan Evelyn in their respective sports. Sada reached the 400m final, which is an achievement worthy of celebration. Her unwavering focus and determination led to a hard-earned finish in the 400m finals. Warm congratulations are extended to Sada, who received support from the team’s athletes and officials and all of Barbados.” Barbados first competed at the Summer Olympics in 1968. Williams became the fourth Barbadian to compete in an Olympic event final at the Summer Games. The country’s lone medal was won at Sydney 2000, when the then 22-year-old Obadele Thompson claimed the bronze medal in the 100m, behind the United States’ Maurice Greene and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ato Boldon, who placed first and second, respectively.