Shericka Williams( 2nd left) - file

Shericka Williams may not have won as many races as one wanted her to, but her performances during the 2006 season cannot go unnoticed.

The year was a very good one for the 21-year-old quarter-miler, who rose to stardom in 2005 when she won her event at the 2005 national championships, upsetting all the big names, including just retired Loraine Fenton.

Though she ended the season without a 400m victory, Williams was always among the top four finishers at the Golden League meets and Grand Prix, thus justifying her world number four ranking in the event.

Williams made it clear her ranking came as a surprise.

"I did not know that I would rank number four in the world. That is really great," she said.

She ran a personal best 50.24 to finish behind Olympic and world champion Tonique Williams-Darling (50.13) at the Gateshead Grand Prix in London in June, which makes her the 13th fastest woman this season.

She also had impressive times of 50.44 at the World Athletics Final and the London Grand Prix for third-place finishes. She ran 50.57 for second place at the National Championships, won by Novlene Williams (50.24), and 50.62 in Rome, Italy.

Other times of 50.91, and 50.93 in Paris Saint-Denis and Oslo respectively showed she was consistently below 51 seconds this season.

In a few 200m races, she also demonstrated she has the speed to be a force to be reckoned with come next season, especially after her 22.55 for second place behind American Stephanie Durst (22.51) in Rieti, Italy.

She also ran 22.61 in Stockholm, while her only win of the season came with a 23.01 run in France.

"I did fairly well," she said. "I ran a lot of 50.0 and my PB 50.24, so it was a very good season for me," she added.

Come next season, she said: "I am looking forward to World Championships for a medal and to run sub-50."