Detroit's Lauryn Williams is the world's second-fastest woman. Better, her ailing father saw her win silver in the Olympic 100 meters.

Williams, 20, who spent most of her youth in the Motor City, performed before both parents after her father, who has leukemia, made it to Athens thanks to a cancer survivor's $10,000 donation.

David Williams missed his daughter's qualifying heats Aug. 20 while going through kidney dialysis. But he joined his former wife Donna Williams, who teaches at Nolan Middle School in Detroit, to watch Lauryn run a personal-record 10.96 in the next day's finals.

Long-legged Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus reeled in the 5-3 Williams during the final meters to win gold in 10.93. Jamaica's Veronica Campbell (10.97) took bronze.

Lauryn Williams was anything but dejected. She bubbled afterward with the same joy that had former neighbors cheering her as she raced her pet German shepherd down Ardmore Street. "It is better than I imagined," said Williams of winning a silver medal. "I achieved something I was not expecting. "I was thinking, 'Run for your life.' And I run for my life," she said.

Williams missed a chance for a second medal Aug. 27 when she and Marion Jones misconnected on a handoff in the 4 x 100 relay semifinals. But the young Detroiter, who decided this summer to turn professional after winning the NCAA 100 crown for Miami (Fla.), finished mourning the way she does most things: quickly.

"I'm looking forward to Beijing (site of the 2008 Games)," said Williams. "I really want that gold medal around my neck." MR