Micah Williams firmly among Benson’s all-time great athletes
Micah Williams Photo: Nick Elliott, NBC Sports Northwest
For immediate release:
PORTLAND, Oregon (July 10, 2019) -- On one hand, it’s déjà vu for Benson’s Micah Williams.
The rising senior was named the Prep Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year by the Oregon Sports Awards’ voting panel for the second straight season.
But Williams simultaneously added another trophy to his display case. The Portland native was also named the 2019 Johnny Carpenter 6A/5A Prep Boys Athlete of the Year after achieving national and international fame this past year.
The sprinting star appeared live on NBC Sports Northwest’s evening talk show “The Bridge” on Wednesday for an interview with host Justin Myers and trophy presentation. Click here to watch clips of Williams’ interview and to view a behind-the-scenes look at his time in studio and on the air.
Sport Oregon CEO Jim Etzel discussed a rebrand of the Oregon Sports Awards during the broadcast as well.
Williams’ 2018-2019 track and field campaign firmly etched his name among Oregon’s track and field all-time greats. He followed up a sophomore season in which he set the 6A Boys Track and Field State Championship records in the 100m and 200m with another pair of record-shattering performances.
Williams ran a 21.03-second 200m in April at the Arcadia invitational to break the state’s all-classification record in the event. He then shattered Oregon’s all classification record in the 100m at the Nike Jesuit Twilight Relays in May, finishing in 10.21 seconds.
With his 100m time, Williams now holds all four major state sprint records. His 100m time ranks second in the nation among high school athletes and put him at No. 16 in the event in United States high school history.
Williams also ran the state’s fastest 400m time at a Portland Interscholastic League (PIL) meet in March even though he’s a sprinter by trade. Williams clocked in at 48.02 seconds.
He was named the Gatorade Oregon Boys Track and Field Player of the Year for the second time on June 24.
He was unable to compete at the 6A Boys Track and Field Championships, however. Williams scratched from the PIL District Championships after reaggravating lingering soreness and inflammation in his left foot and ankle.
Williams perhaps earned greater fame on an international stage last summer. He was selected to compete for Team USA at the IAAF U-20 World Championships in Finland and anchored Team USA’s 4x100 relay to a first-place finish and gold medal. At age 16, Williams became the youngest American male to win a gold medal at the meet.
He followed up his summer showing with a trio of notable wins during the indoor track and field season.
Williams took first-place in the 60m (6.64 seconds) in February at the Simplot games in Pocatello, Idaho. He then won national titles in the 60m and 55m at the New Balance Nationals Indoor with respective times of 6.60 seconds and 6.17 seconds.
This summer, Williams has been swimming and recently began light jogging as a part of his injury rehab. He has received ample recruiting interest from Division-I track and field teams but has not decided where he will attend school in 2020.
Williams is the fourth Techster to be named Prep Boys Athlete of the Year. He joins Richard Washington (1973), A.C. Green (1981) and Deborah Jones (2002) in the record books.
Casey Filkins (Lake Oswego) and Evan “E.J.” Holland (Ashland) were finalists for this year’s 6A/5A Prep Boys Athlete of the Year award alongside Williams. Cameron Brink (Southridge) was named 6A/5A Girls Prep Athlete of the Year for the second straight year.
Holland and Ty Hampton (North Bend) were finalists for the Prep Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year Award. Sport Oregon and NBC Sports Northwest will reveal the Prep Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year on July 12.
Click here to read more about award criteria and past winners and for full finalist lists.
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Brady Johnson
Sport Oregon
P: 503-313-5129