Elton Tucker, Assistant Editor - Sport
Veronica Campbell-Brown (second right) wins the women's 200m finals ahead of Kerron Stewart (second left) and Sherone Simpson (centre) at the senior National Track and Field Athletics Championships at the National Stadium last night. Campbell won in a world-leading 21.94 seconds. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Veronica Campbell-Brown erased some of the disappointment of finishing out of the top three in the women's 100 metres on Saturday evening, with a brilliant world- leading personal-best 21.94 seconds in the women's 200 metres, on the final day of the National Senior Championships at the National Stadium last night.
Running out of lane three, Campbell-Brown, helped by a legal 1.0 metres per second wind-ran a brilliant curve, covered the entire field and came into the straight a clear leader. She then held on strongly to thwart 100m winner Kerron Stewart, 21.99, also a personal best and Sherone Simpson, 22.11.
Campbell-Brown was not surprised by her fast time.
"The way my training had been going, I knew I was in condition to go under 22 seconds. As long as I can stay healthy, I know that I will be in a good position to defend my Olympic title," she said.
Usain Bolt, the world 100 metres record holder, easily completed the sprint double, clocking 19.97 seconds. Marvin Anderson was second in 20.17 and the veteran Chris Williams, third in 20.20.
IMPRESSIVE
Brigitte Foster-Hylton stormed back to her best to recapture the women's 100m hurdles crown from her long-time rival Delloreen Ennis-London. Foster-Hylton displayed impressive mid-race speed to win in a very fast 12.50 seconds. Ennis-London was second in 12.57 and Vonette Dixon, third in 12.71.
Foster-Hylton, who was winning her fifth national title, was overjoyed with the victory.
"This is a very emotional time for me. This year's title (of all the titles) means the most to me. I have been through so much in the past year," she said. "It's always a pleasure performing here in Jamaica in front of some of my most loyal fans."
She was, however, unhappy with her start.
"I really have to go back to the drawing board and clean up that start. It was bad. I had to run past all the girls. But you know ... I am confident in my speed and my strength."
Surprise wins
The men's and women's 400m ended in two surprise wins. Michael Blackwood rolled back the years to defeat the two most recent champions in a thrilling finish to the men's event. Blackwood came with a storming late run to win in 45.21. Ricardo Chambers, the 2006 winner, was second in 45.24 and defending champion Sanjay Ayre, third in the same time.
There was a new champion in the women's 400m. Rosemarie Whyte, a 21-year-old student of GC Foster College, upset defending champion Novlene Williams-Mills and former champion Shericka Williams. Whyte clocked a personal-best 50.05, Williams-Mills 50.11 and Williams, 50.33.
Kenia Sinclair, who sustained a slight injury in the semi-finals on Friday, retained her 800m title. Sinclair, the national record holder with 1:58.88, clocked a relatively slow 2:01.50 but said her goal yesterday was just to finish on top.
"I will be getting there (world- level times) by mid-July," she said.
Eastern Caribbean athletes took the next two places in the event. Neisha Bernard Thomas of Grenada was second in 2:02.56 and Barbadian Sheena Gooding, third in 2:04.23. The next two best Jamaicans were Ysanne Williams, who was fourth in 2:05.10 and Julian Reynolds, sixth in 2:09.12.
Aldwyn Sappleton won the men's 800m in 1:48.45 ahead of MVP Track Club's Ricardo Cunningham, 1:48.94 and Evan Allen, 1:49.42.
Sappleton's time was well outside the 1:47.0 required for the Olympic Games 'B' standard and the 1:46.0 for the 'A' standard, but he said he is working on getting down to those times.
"I am not happy with today's time but I will be getting better and better," Sappleton said.
