• London Olympics 2012

Sprinter Williams completes GB switch

Marlon Devonish and Craig Pickering will be running against Williams in the trials in June © Getty Images

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Teenage sprint sensation Delano Williams has his sights set on qualifying for the London Olympics 2012 for Great Britain, confirming his intention to fly to the UK from Jamaica for the Olympic trials in June just weeks after being granted British citizenship.

The 18-year-old from the Turks and Caicos islands, a British territory in the West Indies, has already achieved the Olympic 'A' qualifying standard in the 200m, running 20.53sec in a low-key meeting in Jamaica.

And having received his UK passport at the end of March, Williams is confident he can claim one of the three spots on offer with Team GB in the 200m, reigniting the 'plastic Brits' debate that came to prominence during the World Indoor Athletics Championships in March.

"I'm very confident," said Williams. "I've been training hard and everything has been going great so I think I should be one of those who makes the Olympic team.

"I think I can go quicker. When I ran 20.53 I hadn't been doing any sprinting training. I was just doing a lot of background training and my core work. I definitely think I can go faster."

Williams underlined his prowess with victory in both the 100m and 200m at the national high school championships in Jamaica, where he is currently a student.

The Turks and Caicos islands do not have an Olympic team of their own, but as a British Overseas Territory resident Williams was eligible for a British passport and immediate recognition as a British athlete by the IAAF.

"I was really, really excited when I got the passport," he said. "I felt, 'I'm a British citizen now'."

Marlon Devonish and Christian Malcolm will be among Williams' key rivals for a spot in the Olympic squad, along with Leon Baptiste, Danny Talbot and James Ellington, who auctioned himself on eBay to raise funds for his Olympic campaign.

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