Trae ‘Quadzilla’ Williams reveals why he quit athletics to chase Olympic dream in rugby sevens

Trae “Quadzilla” Williams reveals why he made the stunning decision to quit his 100m ambitions on the track to transform into a rugby sevens flyer with the same Tokyo Olympics goal medal dream.

Trae Williams has swapped athletics for rugby sevens to chase his Olympic ambitions. Picture: Brendan Hertel/QRU

“Quadzilla” has made a stunning decision to quit his 100m ambitions on the track to transform into a rugby sevens flyer with the same Tokyo Olympics dream.

Commonwealth Games sprinter Trae Williams had kept his switch of sports secret for weeks before announcing on Wednesday he is trading running spikes for try highs.

LEGEND: SMITH ONE OF THE GAME’S GREAT FLANKERS

FUTURE: RISING POWERHOUSE HANDED REDS CAPTAINCY

His fast feet had previously attracted the interest of NRL footy scouts from the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys but rugby has trumped league for this experiment.

He’s no Usain Bolt shooting for the A-League with a low chance of success because the uncluttered turf of rugby sevens is perfect for pure speed to excel.

“I’m excited … it was hard to say no when the chance to be an Olympian is still the big goal, just in a different sport,” Queenslander Williams said.

“I’ve always loved my footy and (Australian sevens coach) Tim Walsh sees me as an extra piece for the puzzle to keep the sevens team improving.

“I don’t want to say speed is all that rugby’s getting because I like the contact too and I’ll be working on all the skills to be a sevens player.”

Trae Williams is ready to swap the track for rugby sevens to chase his Olympic dream. Picture: Brendan Hertel/QRU

The Logan pocket rocket with the massive quads is just 22 and resisted calls from Athletics Australia trump Christian Malcolm to remain in athletics for his prime years.

When he flashed down the track on the Gold Coast last year to win his national 100m title in 10.10sec, it jumped him to fourth on the Australian all-time 100m list.

He is a big loss for athletics and he had yet to tell even close friends of his switch when he ran the 4x100m relay for Australia at the IAAF World Relays in Yokohama two weeks ago.

“I’d made my decision before the relays but I wanted to make sure I finished off in athletics giving it everything,” Williams said.

“I could definitely have given making the Olympics a good shot in the 4x100 but I have a passion for this chance in rugby and that’s the way I’ve decided to go.

“It’s been an honour to represent Australia in athletics and the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast were the best experience but now let the next chapter begin.”

The man known as “Quadzilla” made a name for himself as an international sprinter.

Williams played First XV at inside centre for Brisbane’s St John’s Anglican College and junior league for Souths Acacia Ridge where he watched future Broncos star Anthony Milford tearing it up in an older age group.

“I loved school rugby but the first chance in footy I really had was in a few development squad sessions with the Broncos and Cowboys when I was 17,” Williams said.

“There was a little interest from the Cowboys but it was all athletics at that time and I couldn’t commit to footy fulltime.

“Now I can.”

The brutal marking of Australia’s rugby sevens season is a fail, with no medal finishes at eight tournaments and lack of foot-to-the-floor finishing speed has been the chronic flaw.

Williams is seen as the fix.