VCB IS BACK WITH A BIG BANG

I remember when Veronica Campbell Brown failed to medal in the women’s 100 metres at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin last year, people were sure that it was the end of the line for her.
Then, when she was blown away in the final of the 200 metres by her American rival Alyson Felix, to those doubters it was the final act in the reign of Veronica Campbell Brown’s reign as the queen of Jamaican track and field.
Ha. Based on what we saw at the Prefontaine Diamond League on Saturday, rumours of VCB’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
What many people overlooked in 2009 was that Veronica’s toe inflammation was a lot worse than she had let on and going into the world championships she had even foregone a visit to her doctor because of the mandatory pre-games camp set up in Nuremberg for the Jamaican athletes.
It would cost her.
Even after the championships the toe continued to remain a problem but as it healed Veronica had already been hatching her next move.
In November 2009, VCB let the world know that she was going to be coached by a new coach Anthony Carpenter, a mysterious coach based in Marietta, Georgia who runs a youth track club called Titans.
In less than a year, the manifestations of Carpenter’s work are to be seen by all. First, the World Indoor 60 metre title in Doha. Campbell was not even considered a contender. Her horrible start and poor bio-mechanical efficiency caused people to overlook her. Athletes like Laverne Jones Ferrette from the BVI and Carmelita Jeter, the American, were among the favorites going in as they had registered times of 6.97s, a world leading time, and 7.02s respectively going into the championships. Campbell’s personal best was 7.04s but she had not run an indoor 60 metres in six years.
Still, executing her best start ever and an improved technique leaving the blocks, VCB assumed the lead and never let go.
That was in March, five months after she started working with Carpenter.
Here comes June, three months after Veronica’s unexpected triumph at the World Indoors, Veronica after a few trial run where she clocked 11.05s and 22.32s over the 100-metres and 200 metres respectively, Veronica was down to run at the Adidas Grand Prix Diamond League in New York. There she was matched against her rival Felix, who had triumphed over her in Berlin and who had beaten her six of the last eight times they had met. What is most notable is that VCB’s two victories against Felix came in the 200-metres finals at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
It was a close race but VCB, despite suffering cramps, prevailed in an incredible 21.98 seconds. Felix would finished in 22.02s. It was a close race but VCB showed the kind of speed necessary to take her back to the top.
On Saturday, she showed that she was faster than ever.
VCB’s manager Claude Bryan had mentioned in 2009 that the Olympic champion recognized that for her to realize her dream of winning an Olympic 100-metre title she would need to be capable of 10.7s and 10.6s. After Saturday’s performance she seems to be well on her way.