Biography
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Bernard Williams won the 100 meters at the 1999 Pan-American Games.
Williams accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he was a member of the Florida Gators track and field team. He graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 2008.
In 2000, Williams won the NCAA Championships in the 100 meters as a Florida Gator sprinter and ran the second leg on the gold medal-winning American 4x100-meters relay team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
At the 2001 World Championships, Williams finished second in the 100 meters to complete the Americans clean sweep of the event and ran the second leg on the American 4x100-meters relay team, which won the gold medal. The team's gold medals were withdrawn when Tim Montgomery was discovered to have used steroids.
In 2003, Williams won the US National Championships in 100 meters and was fifth in 100 meters at the 2003 World Championships. He was also a member of gold medal-winning American relay team. He tested positive for cannabis and received a warning from the USADA in August 2004, but was still able to compete in the Olympics in accordance with IAAF rules.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Williams won the silver medal in 200 meters, edging compatriot and 100 meters champion Justin Gatlin in the final few meters. Thus, Americans won all three top places, since Shawn Crawford won the gold.
Bernard performs under the stage name "Hollywood" as a comic in the North Florida area when he is not training. He was noted for his comedy antics during the 2004 Olympics, including using the people's eyebrow
He is currently the sprinting coach for Oak Hall School's track and field team.
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