Barbados’ worst fears have been realised. Sada Williams’ once promising career could be in question now, as the talented young sprinter has been forced to pull out of the Commonwealth Games after tearing her already troublesome right hamstring.
The news was confirmed yesterday after an MRI revealed the nature of the injury just four days before the 20-year-old Williams was set to contest the opening rounds of the women’s 200 metres.
The news could spell disaster for Williams, considering it’s the third significant injury she’s suffered on that specific muscle following successive right hamstring strains in 2015 and 2016.
“It depends on the severity of the tear that will decide what sort of medical management is necessary, but I would say with the right rehabilitation and operating under the proper healing time, then hopefully she should be okay and fit again,” said physiotherapist Dr Nicola Yard.
“But something is obviously wrong that she is suffering from repeated injuries to the same hamstring. I don’t want to say she came back out too early from her previous injuries, because she would have had a physiotherapist working with her before, but you can’t keep having a recurring injury in the same area without something being wrong.
“It could be something wrong with her posture or some sort of imbalance or with the way she is training but something is wrong. The first thing is now to get an ultrasound of the muscle to see the severity of the injury and determine the next step going forward,” she added.
It’s the heartbreaking reality facing a true track and field darling, who endeared herself to the Bajan public with a bashful nature that belied her competitive drive.
Yet it was Williams’ performances that really set tongues wagging, particularly a 22.61-second clocking at Inter-school sports, where she qualified for the 200 metres at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a mere 18-year-old.
Williams quickly followed that up a couple weeks later by running 22.72 over the same distance en route to completing the 200 and 400 double at the CARIFTA Games.
And she looked certain of copping gold at the ensuing World Under-20 Championships in that same year after entering the final with the year’s fastest time for juniors.
However, Williams pulled up hurt in that race with what was discovered to be a Grade 1 hamstring strain that eventually ruled her out of the Olympics.
It proved to be the source of major contention too, as an inside source believes Williams should have pulled out of those World Championships after a medical report revealed she reported pain in that same hamstring during the first round.
Williams seemingly bounced back with a pair of sub-23 second times last season, although she flattered to deceive at the IAAF World Championships in London where she clocked a disappointing 23.55 in the first round.
And she never reached those heights this year either despite winning two events in successive meets at Myrtle Beach in the US by running 23.35 and 23.93 seconds in her favoured 200 metres.
Efforts to reach officials in Australia proved futile, while executive members of the Athletics Association of Barbados denied knowledge of Williams’ injury. (JM)
