Wallace Williams

Wallace Williams (born October 23, 1946) is a long-distance runner who represents the United States Virgin Islands. He competed in the men's marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics.[1]

For the American baseball player, see Bucky Williams. For the American politician, see Wallace Williams (politician).

Wallace Williams
Personal information
NationalityAmerican Virgin Islander
Born (1946-10-23) October 23, 1946
Sport
SportLong-distance running
Event(s)Marathon

Career

He started training for marathons in 1977 and represented the Virgin Islands in races such as the Boston Marathon, New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and World Cross Country Championships.[2] He also competed in the men's marathon at the 1988 Summer Olympics finishing 81st in the rank.[3]

In 1978, he founded the Virgin Islands Pace Runners and began organizing road races ranging from one-mile sprints to marathons.[4] Over the years, Williams has organized approximately 20 races annually, becoming a prominent figure in the local running community. He is also known for starting the Women Race for The Women's Coalition in 1985, which has grown from 100 participants in its first race to nearly 500 participants in recent years.[5]

Apart from running, Williams has also served as librarian.[6] He retired from the V.I. library system after 30 years of service but considered books more than just a job.[3] Prior to retiring in 2007, Williams served as Department of Planning and Natural Resources director of Libraries, Archives and Museums for the Virgin Islands.[6]

In 2020, A Resolution of the Legislature of the Virgin Islands (Bill #33-0247) was passed for honoring Williams for his career.[7]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Wallace Williams Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2017.
  2. Lee, Bethaney (March 11, 2020). "Two Men Honored for STX Community Contributions". St. Thomas Source.
  3. "On Island Profile: Wallace Williams". St. Croix Source. July 30, 2007.
  4. "Olympedia – Wallace Williams". www.olympedia.org.
  5. "Williams, Wallace D. · Notable Kentucky African Americans Database". nkaa.uky.edu.
  6. James, Baylor (March 2, 2021). "Williams on crusade for virtual library use, preserving V.I. history". The Virgin Islands Daily News.
  7. ohicks (March 10, 2020). "WILLIAMS AND GONZALEZ RESOLUTIONS SENT TO RULES AND JUDICIARY". Legislature of the United States Virgin Islands. Retrieved June 15, 2023.


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