Jamaica’s sprint queen Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB), the reigning 200m Olympic champion has been experiencing a rebirth this season. The 28-year-old former Vere Technical High School and University of Arkansas stand-out, who has had tremendous success at all levels of competition, has garnered individual medals at the CARIFTA Games, World Junior Championships (200m: 22.87 (WJR), World Youth Championships (100m: 11.49) NCAAs, IAAF World Championships and the Olympic Games.
VCB ran a 100m personal best 10.78 secs last month in Eugene, Oregon, beating the American ace Carmelita Jeter in the process. She is one of two women to finish ahead of the red-hot Jeter in the 100m this season, before heading to the Zurich Diamond League yesterday, ready once again to dominate Jeter. The American defeated her (10.82 to 10.98 secs) July 22 in Monaco, in a race that was poorly executed by VCB. And dominant VCB was in Zurich, turning the tables on Jeter, even though they were both credited with the same time (10.89).
Low Point
Two years ago, VCB hit a snag of sorts in her career that prompted plenty of support for her from Jamaicans. After finishing 4th in the 100m at the 2008 Jamaica national trials behind Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson, VCB ran the 200m race of her life to win, and so qualified for that event at the Beijing Olympics. She went on to take the 200m in Beijing, in an impressive personal best 21.74, beating her nemesis USA’s Allyson Felix.
At the 2009 Berlin World Championship, VCB finished 4th in the 100m final in 10.95 secs behind winner Fraser (10.73), Stewart (10.75) and Jeter (10.90). She followed up that 4th place with a silver medal in the 200m (22.35) behind Felix (22.02). VCB’s disappointment in failing to win gold in her individual events was further compounded, when she was relieved of her usual anchoring duty for the Jamaican women’s 4×1 relay team.
Having anchored for Jamaica in several top competitions, including the 2004 Athens Olympics when Jamaica won, VCB again ran the anchor during practice sessions at the 2009 World Championships. However, things changed when she was told “at the last minute” – as she had put it – before the final that she would not be running the anchor but another leg instead. She refused, insisting that all along she had been practicing for the anchor leg and didn’t want to make errors running another position.
VCB’s refusal to run another leg led to her non-participation and the Jamaicans went on to win, in a time much slower than their clocking in Athens. In some quarters, it was the opinion that VCB’s time had passed and that she needed to step aside for the younger crop of sprinters. That argument was reminiscent of how Merlene Ottey was viewed in 2000.
But that was 2009. Subsequently, VCB seemed bent on proving her critics wrong.
The Renaissance
Entering the 2010 season with Tony Carpenter, a new coach in a new location in Georgia, VCB has been focused on regaining the 100m crown. Her first plan was to improve her start, and that paid dividend as she won the 60m at the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha in a personal best 7.00 secs.
Despite not competing exclusively in the IAAF Diamond League, VCB has proven that she’s still in control of the ½-lap event. She’s the only female athlete to run under 22.00 seconds this season. She ran a blistering 21.98 in the New York City on June 12 and at the July Prefontaine Classic in Oregon, she won the 100m in a sizzling world-leading 10.78.
Her last 2010 Diamond League event behind her yesterday, VCB has used some fine performances this season to send a statement, NOT that she’s back but that based on her new and improved starting technique she’s better than before. With the 2011 World Championships on everyone’s mind, VCB is giving her rivals and track fans a lot to talk about. -Edited by Desmond Palmer