Home  Sports 100m Wins
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Saturday, 05 July 2008 |
World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown shockingly missed out an automatic 100-metre Olympic spot while Usain Bolt defeated Asafa Powell in the clash of the world's fastest men at Jamaica's Olympic Trials on Saturday night.
A fourth place finish for Campbell-Brown means -- based on the Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association (JAAA) rules that state the first two automatically qualify and the third place is discretionary – she could find herself out of the Beijing women's 100 meters.
But Campbell-Brown would join Bolt who clocked an easy 19.97 seconds to win the men’s 200, as she sped to a career-best and world-leading 21.94 seconds to land the women’s half-lap sprint as the meet.
There was a huge upset in the women’s 400 meters with little-known Rosemarie Smith winning in a personal best 50.05 seconds, ahead of World Championship bronze medalist Novlene Williams (50.11).
Campbell-Brown has been one of the favorites to win 100-metre gold in Beijing.
Race winner Kerron Stewart, who produced a personal best and world-leading time of 10.80 seconds, the second best time ever by a Jamaican, defeated the outsider Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.85) and Sherone Simpson (10.87).
Campbell-Brown clocked a decent 10.88 that equaled her own 2008 world best time coming into the event, but it was not good enough for a top three spot in the fastest women’s 100-metre final in Jamaica National Championship history.
Stewart was thrilled about her success.
"I am feeling good," said Stewart, who hastened to add that she is aiming for Merlene Ottey's national record of 10.74 seconds. "Second is good, but I am going for the number one spot," she added when asked how she felt about becoming the second fastest Jamaican woman ever, while moving ahead of Simpson (10.82), Juliet Cuthbert (10.83) and Campbell-Brown (10.85).
"My aim was to first make the team, it wasn't about the time, but I ended up winning … and the time, I cannot be sad about that," Stewart said with a smile.
Meanwhile, the fierce battle many fans anticipated between the world’s fastest men, Bolt and Powell, did not materialize as both sprinters ran very conservatively in the final.
The pair produced fast starts but cruised the second half of the race when they took control.
Bolt looked awesome as he eased to a winning time of 9.85 seconds, and Powell coasted in for second at 9.97 seconds.
"We got out because we had to run the first part of the race and this was the interesting part of it, but the aim was just to qualify," said Bolt after his win.
"I just went out there to execute the first 50 meters and I did that, so I am pleased with the end result," said Powell who glanced across at Bolt during the race.
Powell appeared to lead Bolt for the first quartet of the race, but hinted he eased up as Bolt passed in a flash.
Michael Frater was third in 10.04 seconds.
In the men's 400-metre hurdles final, Danny McFarlane, silver medalist at the Athens Olympics in 2004, won in 48.68 seconds, chased by Isa Phillips (49.08) and Markino Buckley (49.14).
In the women's one-lap hurdles, Melaine Walker (54.58) retained her national title with victory over Nickeisha Wilson (54.74) and Shevon Stoddart (54.88).
Trecia Smith, the 2005 World champion, won the women's triple jump with 13.61 meters.
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