Jamaica’s teenage sprint sensation Briana Williams has been shortlisted as one of five finalists viable to win the 2018 IAAF Female Rising Star Award which recognizes this year’s best U20 athlete.

Williams was nominated after a stunning year during which she won gold in both the 100m and 200m events at the World U20 Championship in Finland in August. A feat that saw her becoming the youngest to win a 200m world U20 title.

The 16 year old also copped the Austin Sealy Award as the Most Outstanding Athlete at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas in March after winning gold in both sprints and the 4x100m relays.

On the high-school circuit, Williams who attends the Northeast High School in Oakland Park, Florida, established a world age-group record over 100m at the Bob Hayes Invitational in Jacksonville where she clocked 11.13 seconds to break the longstanding mark of 11.19s previously held by Marion Jones.

Completing the shortlist are the Ethiopian duo Meskerem Mamo and Meseret Belete, Kenya’s Celliphine Chespol and Sydney McLaughlin of the United States.

The winner will be declared at the IAAF Athletics 2018 awards in Monaco on December 4.

The nominees are:

Meseret Belete (ETH)
– World U20 best at half marathon with 1:07:51
– Sixth and team gold at IAAF World Half Marathon Championships Valencia 2018
– Gothenburg Half Marathon winner

Celliphine Chespol (KEN)
– World U20 champion and world U20 lead at steeplechase with 9:01.82
– African (senior) cross-country champion
– Steeplechase silvers at Commonwealth Games and African Championships

Meskerem Mamo (ETH)
– World U20 leads at 3000m and 5000m with 8:33.63 and 15:05.21
– Bronze in 5000m at African Championships

Sydney McLaughlin (USA)
– Two world U20 bests or records at both 400m hurdles and indoor 400m with 52.75 and 50.36i respectively
– World (senior) lead at 400m hurdles with 52.75
– US collegiate champion at 400m hurdles

Briana Williams (JAM)
– World U20 champion at both 100m and 200m
– Carifta Games U17 champion at both sprints and 4x100m