by Larry EderJaeyln Williams had a fantastic senior year of cross-country!
Last weekend, Jaeyln Williams finished third in the inaugural Brooks Cross-Country Championships, presented by Fleet Feet, in 17:17.00.
Jaeyln Williams wanted to make a statement in her senior year of cross-country. In 2024, at the CIF State meet, Jaeyln finished 24th. That performance affected her, perhap woke her up. In converations with the media post FootLocker 45, in December 2024, where she overcame her tough state performance, making the 9th position in the country with her HOKA FootLocker XC Champs top ten finish.
After that race, Jaeyln Williams told the media:” I did not want to end the season with the 24th place at State. That (finish) motivated me. I learned from state. I wanted one more race where there was no stress, just to have fun.”
As a sophomore in track, Jaeyln won the 2-mile in 9:57.11. In her junior year, after dealing with injuries, Jaelyn finished 4th in the CIF 3200 meters in 10:12.15. While she did not finish in the state 1600m final, in the section, Jaelyn had run 4:44.71. At the USATF U-20 Juniors, Jaeyln Williams tooks second in the 1,500 meters in a PB of 4:22:32 at the 1,500 meters! That same day, Jaeyln took 4th in the 3,000 meters in 9:36.11, winning All-American status twice in one day!
San Diego, CA, USA
December 13, 2025, photo by Kevin Morris for Brooks XC.
How excellent was 2025 cross-country for Jaelyn Williams? Well, she won the San Diego section Division 1 three times, she qualified for CIF state cross-country all four years, a rare event in California. In winning the CIF cross-country in 2025, Jaeyln set a meet record! Jaeylyn Williams had improved on her 4th in CIF state as a freshman and sophomore!
At the NXN on December 6, 2025, Jaeyln Williams finished third, after trying to steal the event, running 16:58 to Blair Bartlett in second and Natasza Dudek in first.
On December 13, 2025, Jaeyln Williams took third in 17:17.00, cementing herself as only the fourth girl in California state history in cross-country to qualify for FootLocker cross-country and NIKE Cross four times over four years!
After her Brooks XC Champs race, Jaeyln Williams told the media: “I mean I’m satisfied with how I raced… It went out pretty fast and so I think I spent a little bit of energy just trying to stay with the leaders… probably in the future, just maybe hold off a little bit more throughout the race so that I can have something at the end.”
Earlier in the season, Jaeyln Williams told RunBlogRun that she was focused on her senior year cross-country season, and she has. We look forward to Jaeyln’s senior track and field season, with the strength and endurance shown in her fall cross-country season, Jaelyn should be ready for some big PBs!
The Brooks Run Guide Interviews, Episode #2: Jaelyn Williams, Brooks NIL sponsored athlete
