Perri Williams competed in the women’s 10 kilometres race walk at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, finishing 37th in 54:53 – carrying a foot injury into the race and struggling from the early stages, well outside her personal best. In doing so, she became the first woman ever to represent Ireland in Olympic race walking. From Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny, and a member of St Senan’s AC, Williams made the transition from serious club runner at juvenile and junior level – where she won national medals at the 1,500 metres, 3,000 metres and cross country – to international class walker as a senior athlete.

A small core of race walkers emerged in the south Kilkenny club in the 1980s and made the journey to New Ross where they were educated in the basic techniques of the sport by Denis North.

She won numerous national championships and represented Ireland at the World Cup in 1987 in New York, in 1989 in L’Hospitalet, Spain and in St Jose, California in 1991. She also competed in international events in Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, the UK, Berlin and Mexico. A serious car crash in February 1991 in which she damaged neck vertebrae almost derailed her athletic career. Her recovery was complete by June 1992 when, on a mesmeric night in the grounds of Kilkenny Castle, she achieved the qualifying time for Barcelona in a new national record of 47:22.