Mid-south Olympian Harrison Williams prepares for decathlon – win gold

Harrison Williams (born March 7, 1996) is an esteemed American athlete and former U.S. Champion in the decathlon.

In 2019, Williams showcased his talents at the World Athletics Championships, finishing 14th. By 2023, he had set a new personal best with a score of 8630 points to clinch the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, marking his first national championship in the decathlon. This impressive score ranked him 31st on the global all-time list and secured his place at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, where he achieved a commendable 7th place finish.

In 2024, Williams secured his first Olympic berth by finishing 3rd at the United States Olympic track and field trials, thus earning a coveted spot on Team USA for the 2024 Olympics.

Harrison Williams

Personal Life

Williams hails from Memphis, Tennessee, and attended Memphis University School, where he began his journey in track & field. He later graduated from Stanford University in 2019 with a B.S. in Product Design.

Memphis Beginnings

The decathlon, known for its grueling ten events, is seen through a unique lens by Williams. Reflecting on his sport, Williams humorously describes it as “playing in the sand, running around in a circle really fast, and seeing how far I can throw a metal ball. It’s a lot of fun. I feel like I’m a professional recess athlete.”

However, his journey to the Olympics wasn’t without its challenges. At the US Olympic Trials, Williams faced a significant setback in the high jump, describing his performance as “historically bad,” akin to his 2012 performance. A heartfelt conversation with his father helped him regain his focus.

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“I had a good conversation with my dad right after the high jump. I cried a little bit, because I thought it was over. But then I knew I had the 400m coming up to end the day, and I knew that’s my best event.”

Williams went on to win the 400 meter and performed well enough in the remaining events to secure his ticket to Paris.

“I felt every emotion over those last 100 meters of the 1500m, knowing that I was about to make the Olympic team in front of all my supporters and my family,” Williams said.

Williams’ Olympic dreams were nurtured on the track at Memphis University School. Initially, he took up track and field to stay fit for basketball, but legendary MUS track and field coach and athletic director Bobby Alston saw untapped potential in Williams and encouraged him to try the decathlon. This pivotal moment changed the course of his athletic career.

“I always like to try and throw a few freshmen into the fire the first year,” Alston said. “And really not expect them to do much, just to see if they like it.”

Reflecting on Alston’s influence, Williams shared, “I don’t know why he thought I’d be good at it, because I was skinny and not very fast. But he saw some potential.”

Williams quickly developed a passion for the decathlon and began to excel in it.

“It was just the passion he had,” Alston observed. “Which you don’t see a lot of high school kids have that focus and passion for what they’re going to do.”

After a distinguished high school career and four standout years at Stanford, Williams now prepares for his most significant competition yet, attributing much of his success to Alston’s early encouragement.

“I would say that yeah,” Williams acknowledged. “He got me into the decathlon in the first place. He encouraged me to pursue it when I didn’t really do that well that first year.”

Alston, humbled by Williams’ appreciation, remarked, “I’m honored that he appreciates anything I’ve done for him because he’s the one who has to put in the work every day.”

As he embarks on his Olympic journey, Williams remains resolute in his goal. When asked if it’s a gold medal or bust this week, he responded without hesitation, “It is, yeah. I wouldn’t be going to Paris if I didn’t think I could win a gold medal.”

Williams begins his decathlon at 3:05 in the morning Central time on Friday with the 100m run.