Canadian Olympic bronze medalist Desai Williams of Mississauga, Ontario passed away on the weekend at the age of 62 according to Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun on Wednesday. Williams was part of the Canadian team that won the bronze medal for Canada in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Williams teamed up with Ben Johnson of Scarborough, Ontario, Tony Sharpe of Pickering, Ontario, and Sterling Hinds of Toronto, Ontario.
In the final of the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1984 Olympic Games, Canada reached the podium by 0.17 seconds over Italy with a time of 38.70 seconds. The United States won the gold medal with a world record time of 37.83 seconds and Jamaica won the silver medal with a time of 38.62 seconds.
In addition to winning Olympic bronze, Williams won gold in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, silver in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, silver in the men’s 100 metres at the 1983 Summer Universiade in Edmonton, and silver in the men’s 4×100 metre relay at the 1983 Summer Universiade. After his time a world class sprinter, Williams spent six seasons as the strength and conditioning coach of the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League from 2004 to 2009.
