Rhys Williams (hurdler)

Rhys Williams (b. February 27, 1984, Cardiff) is a Welsh athlete, a 400 m hurdles sprinter.

On August 10, 2006, Williams won the bronze medal at the European Championships in Athletics in Gothenburg in a time of 49.12 seconds, thus just slightly missing his personal best (49.09, set at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where he finished fourth). He also ran 48.3 over the 400 m (2002).

On Sunday 13, 2006, at that same event, he won a silver medal in the 4x400 m relay as the second sprinter, along with Robert Tobin, Graham Hedman and Timothy Benjamin, in a time of 3:01.63.

He is the son of rugby union legend J.J. Williams.

Injuries

On June 17th 2008 it was announced that he would miss the 2008 Olympics due to a stress fracture to his right foot. He suffered the injury while taking part in the Welsh Championships two days earlier, which was the first time he had competed since suffering a similar injury a year earlier.

Early career

Williams won the 400m hurdles at the 2005 European U23 Championships, was European Junior Champion in 2003, and won the European Youth Olympics in 2001. He was also the Welsh U15 backstroke swimming champion and was a member of the Wales U18 rugby union squad.

Personal Bests

• 400 m - 48.3 (2002)
• 400 mH - 49.09 (2006)

Education

Rhys studied at Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari from September 1995 until June 2002