A FORMER Olympic athelete has swopped running spikes and track suit for rompers and nappies - and she couldn't be happier!

For bubbly Ann Griffiths (nee Williams) has presented husband John with bouncing bundle of joy William Matthew who weighed in at a cuddly 8lb 14oz on arrival at Whiston Hospital.

And although the dark-haired, blue-eyed boy was a day late, he was well worth waiting for by a caring couple who married in 1992, and whose happiness turned to sadness when Ann miscarried last year.

A super-fit slender brunette, Ann was enjoying her usual 20 lengths in Boundary Road baths just 48 hours before welcoming William Matthew - 'having a big bump in front helped keep me afloat!' she joked.

The daughter of Denis and Barbara Williams of Balfour Street, West Park, 32-year-old Ann attended St. Teresa's School and Carmel College, and now lives with her better half at Windle.

A 1500 and 800 metres champion whose best times are 4.7 and 1.59 seconds respectively, Ann joined Pilkington AC on going to work for the glass giant when just a slip of a girl.

Then came a move to Sutton Harriers, but high-flying Ann's career in the lung-bursting world of athletics really took off with her last club Sale Harriers.

For her remarkable record of international achievements reads: 1990 2nd in Commonwealth Games in Auckland. 1991 7th in World Championships in Tokyo.

The year 1992 brought the well-documented tripping incident in the Olympic Games in Barcelona, and for the life of her, Ann cannot remember the name of the Swedish girl who accidentally up-ended her , with the injury sidelining Ann throughout 1993.

The wiry Williams bounced back to finish fifth in the European Champions in Helsinki in 1994 but, still plagued by injury, Ann felt she need a rest from the demands of the outdoor track.

However, Ann competed in the National Indoor Championship three times, along with the Edinburgh Road Race in 1996.

Ann is naturally proud of her fifth-place ranking in the UK all-time best charts alongside legends such as Kirsty Wade, Shireen Bailey and Chris Boxer, and also rubbed shoulders with household names Sally Gunnell and Liz McColgan.

But now dreams of being first past the tape have been put on hold as Ann Griffiths and hubby John - who is also an athlete - revel in the delights of parenthood.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.