Campbell gets revenge for Jamaica in photo-finish drama

By Andrew James Aug 27, 2007, 15:31 GMT

Osaka, Japan - Veronica Campbell got revenge for Jamaica at last in a historic photo-finish over two Americans in which she showed she can run fast without a bend.

It took an agonising wait amid plenty of confusion about the outcome before Campbell was confirmed to have added the 100m world title to Olympic 200m gold from 2004.

Campbell clocked 11.01 seconds, so did defending champion Lauryn Williams, with third-placed Carmelita Jeter just one hundredth off on 11.02 seconds. The winning time was at the same time the slowest in worlds history.

'It was so close I wasn't sure. I know I had good finish,' said Campbell.

Williams said: 'I knew I wasn't sure. When the names came I didn't know what to think. When they switched around I thought there was hope for me yet.'

More confusion reigned after the finish when the third American, the 2003 world champion Torri Edwards, was declared winner at first on the big scoreboard.

Another few minutes passed until Williams was named second, Edwards' name was then taken off, then the board then went black before the final outcome was revealed and Campbell could enjoy her victory lap at last.

Edwards was left wondering while Jeter had to be told of her first ever medal in the mixed zone.

Never before have the three medallists been separated by just one hundredth of a second before at the worlds or Olympics.

The outcome brought back memories of the 1993 worlds in Stuttgart, where Gail Devers beat the greatest Jamaican, Merlene Ottey, in a photo-finish which was not finally decided until hours after the race.

'I remember it, it was very close,' said Campbell, who was 14 at the time. 'Merlene was always my hero. She recently e-mailed me to say I was doing good.'

Campbell has now moved ahead of Ottey in the 100m as Ottey never managed a big title over the distance. But she won two 200m world titles, with Campbell now hoping to get a double.

'The medal means a lot to me and is important for my career. The 100m world champion title was missing in my collection.'

By winning, Campbell followed in the footsteps of Tyson Gay, who won the 100m on Sunday and is also the big 200m favourite. Both are coached by Lance Brauman, who is currently imprisoned in the US for embezzlement.

'I didn't speak to him here. But he gave Tyson a message for me when they talked on Sunday. He said I should believe in myself,' said Campbell, adding that 'Tyson is a great person.'