THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050489
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 41 lines
Ever have one of those days when it seems like everything's going to turn out right?
Churchland's Robbie Williams had such a day Thursday, when he ripped through the Newport News Park course and ran away with the Eastern Region boys cross country title.
``Usually, I get nervous before a race,'' Williams said. ``But when I woke up that morning, I just felt real confident. And I didn't get nervous all day. Usually, I'm dying.''
Williams, a senior, went into the meet ranked third in South Hampton Roads behind Western Branch's Billy McGlaughon and Kempsville's Ashley Hearne. Upon arriving at the course, Williams learned that McGlaughon was fighting a chest cold. Williams didn't rejoice, as the two are friends. But the news only heightened Williams' belief that this would be his day.
``I knew I could beat the guy from Kempsville,'' Williams said. ``I don't know why I was behind him in the poll. I figured it would come down to me and Billy. Once I found out Billy was sick, I knew I could do it.''
So confident was Williams that he didn't even get rattled when he ran the wrong way during the race's first mile.
``Everyone turned and I kept going straight,'' Williams said. ``But I just caught back up and took the lead again. No big deal.''
Near the mile-and-a-half mark, Williams sensed his chief rivals were getting winded and made his move.
``It was happening just the way I planned,'' he said.
And he cruised down the home stretch before kicking into overdrive to hold off Hearne by one second.
``I was really excited, but I wasn't surprised,'' said Williams, who finished 12th in last year's region race. ``I had a good feeling about the race all day.''
And sometimes, things turn out to be pretty much the way they seem. ILLUSTRATION: [Robbie Williams] by CNB