MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – Jane Williams was “just an average runner,” her cross country coach said, when she arrived at Matthew C. Perry as a junior transfer from Oak Harbor, Wash., in summer 2022.

Two school years later, the Samurai senior owns every Pacific high school record in track and field’s three distance events and has rewritten the region’s cross country marks as well.

“She hit the ground running and was in shape when she got here,” Samurai cross country coach Brad Cramer said. “It’s a passion for her. Her work ethic were inspirational to the team. Everybody wanted to be like Jane.”

Williams will also exit her high school career as Stars and Stripes’ Pacific girls track and field Athlete of the Year, having shined throughout the just-completed season and particularly at the DODEA-Pacific Far East meet in early May at Yokota.

And as her track and field coach Michael Kelley said often about Williams during the season, “she’s just getting started.”

She next heads to Logan, Utah, home of Utah State University. Williams has committed to run track and cross country in the high altitude of the Division I Mountain West Conference.

“I’m very excited,” Williams said. Her first meet is the last weekend of August against several other Utah-based schools.

While setting those high school records seemed to come with apparent ease, Williams said those accomplishments were the result of a delicate balance: Work out hard and often, but not too hard. Don’t overtrain. And always leave room to take steps higher on that record ladder.

“I feel like I do enough to ensure that I recover” after workouts and races,” Williams said. “I don’t feel like I’ve overworked, but I continue to develop and left myself room for progression.”

Progressing up the record ladder took overcoming adversity. As a sophomore, Williams suffered from an iron deficiency. A visit to the doctor and iron supplements followed, then came the move to Iwakuni and the start of a stellar career – first place in every race thereafter.

It took having a training partner – in Williams’ case, Tyler Gaines, a fellow senior distance runner.

“We kept each other motivated,” Williams said of Gaines. “I don’t think I would have worked as hard without him.”

And it also takes a team, including fellow Samurai distance runners Charlotte and Grace Palmer, Hannah Jernigan and Isabella Cordes, among others. “That helps you stay accountable and it keeps it fun, so you can enjoy the process,” Williams said.

One after another, records started to tumble. She set the Pacific cross country record Sept. 30 at Iwakuni, 18 minutes, 12.4 seconds. Then came the Far East meet at Edgren on Oct. 23, where she ran 19:19.3, breaking the Far East and Gosser Memorial Golf Course records, which also left her hungry for track season.

“The more you do, the more you want to do,” Williams said. “Every time you break a record, you’re wanting to do more.”

Track season saw Williams shatter a nine-year-old mark in the 3,200, 11:00.89 on March 9, then the 1,600, 5:06.99 on April 20 at Iwakuni.

The Far East meet on May 2-3 was her brightest moment. She broke her own 1,600 mark, 5:05.97, and then topped the nearly 30-year-old Pacific record in the 800, 2:17.98.

Williams says she hopes her records can stand the test of time, at least for a while. “I like having the records, but I’ll be happy if somebody runs faster,” she said.

JANE WILLIAMS

Age — 18.

Place of birth — Houston.

Sports played besides track and field — Cross country.

Favorite school subject — History.

Least favorite school subject — Science.

Athlete she looks up to — Courtney Wayment, USA Track 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Favorite artist — Taylor Swift.

Individual Pacific records broken — 800 meters, 2 minutes, 17.98 seconds, May 3, DODEA-Pacific Far East meet (meet record); 1,600, 5:05.97, May 2, DODEA-Pacific Far East meet (meet record); 3,200, 11:00.89, March 9, Kanto meet No. 3.