Emerging Olicia Williams matures into a leader

By Christopher Hunt

Olicia Williams always had talent. She knew it too.

And that was the problem.

Two years ago, the St. Anthony’s junior was one of the fastest rising freshmen in the country, with a 2:09.60 outdoor 800 meters to her credit. But her sophomore campaign didn’t measure up, mostly because Williams was still patting herself on the back.

“I was feeling myself too much,” Williams said. “I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t have to train. I don’t have to practice. I don’t have to do nothing.”

So her focus wandered. She became more playful at practice. Williams took her races less seriously. She went through the motions.

“Sophomore year, I was thinking it’s not a big deal,” she said. “It’s not important. But it was important. It was supposed to get me ready for my junior year. Now it’s like, seri...