Desai Williams passes away

[CaptainCrunch]

https://torontosun.com/sports/other-...box=1649800963

Williams died suddenly on the weekend. There was no cause of death given.

William was one of the world’s top sprinters in the 1980s, helping the Canadian 4×100 metre team win the bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics – along with Ben Johnson, Sterling Hinds and Tony Sharpe.

He also finished sixth in the 1988 100-metre final, a race infamous for Canada’s Ben Johnson winning the event in a world-record time (9.79 seconds), only to be stripped off the gold medal and the world record a few days later when he tested positive for anabolic steroids. Years later, it was revealed that every sprinter in that final had been caught up using illegal substances at one time or another, including Williams.

Born in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Williams became a national team sprint coach after he competitive career ended, as well as a speed coach for the Toronto Argonauts.

Was one of the power sprinters during the steroid rampant Olympic movement in the 80's and was on the 4x100 relay team with Ben Johnson in Las Angeles

[looooob]

I'd say he burst on the scene, or at least my consciousness a bit before Johnson- as you point out shared the relay medal with Johnson in 84, was a pretty famous sprinter for a while and lined up along with Johnson in the famed and scandal ridden 88 Seoul final


tainted through the post Seoul fallout, seemed to regain him self as a speed coach with the CFL etc, then had some late scandals too that had him banned from coaching

[looooob]

. Years later, it was revealed that every sprinter in that final had been caught up using illegal substances at one time or another, including Williams.

The only one I hadn't been aware of was the American sprinter Calvin Smith (who was upgraded to bronze). not saying he never used either but hadn't recalled anything on him. Carl Lewis? well sigh that's for another day