By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterOLYMPIC GAMES 200- metres champion Veronica Campbell and Michael Blackwood secured victories at yesterday's World Athletics Final at the Stade Louis II Stadium in Monaco.
Campbell, who is on a shortlist of five for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Female Athlete of the Year, ended her 200m campaign in style. Although she did not win in a blazing time, Campbell's 22.64 seconds was good enough to win US$30,000 and to beat Bahamian Debbie Ferguson, who closed in for second in 22.66 and compatriot Aleen Bailey, who was third in 22.84.
CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD
In the men's 400m, Blackwood shook off his disappointing eighth-place finish at the Olympic Games in Athens to record a Championship Record 44.95 and beat a strong field.
Blackwood, the 2002 Common-wealth champion, moved from fourth, entering the home straight to beat Americans Derrick Brew (44.97) and Otis Harris (45.06), who were silver and bronze medallists respectively at the Games. Blackwood also pocketed US$30,000 for his win.
The second Jamaican in the race, Davian Clarke, was seventh in 45.75. National champion Maurice Wignall was the other Jamaican in action yesterday. He finished second behind American Allen Johnson (13.16) in the 110m hurdles. Wignall was timed in 13.19.
Today's action will see Campbell and Asafa Powell, yesterday's women's 200m and men's 100m winners, facing the starters in the other sprints.
In the 100m, Campbell, who secured bronze in the event in Athens, will again have Bailey, Ferguson and Bulgaria's Ivet Lalova to contend with. Jamaica's second fastest woman this season, Sherone Simpson, will also line up in the field which includes Olympic silver medallist Lauryn Williams, U.S. champion LaTasha Colander.
In the men's 200m, Powell will have last year's winner, Joshua Johnson of the U.S., Namibian Frank Fredericks, American Bernard Williams, Olympics finalist Stephan Buckland of Mauritius and Obikwelu to compete with.
National 400m hurdles champion Danny McFarlane and Kemel Thompson line up in the men's 400m hurdles against Olympic bronze medallist Naman Keita of France, the United States' James Carter and Bayano Kamani of Panama.
STRONG COMPETITION
National champion Delloreen Ennis-London and Lacena Gold-ing-Clarke will carry Ja-maica's flag in the women's sprint hurdles. They will face strong competition from Olympic champion American Joanna Hayes, world champion and top hurdler Canadian Perdita Felicien, Spain's Glory Alozie and Melissa Mor-rison of the U.S.
Long jumper James Beckford, will be trying to improve on his fourth-place finish in Athens when he faces Americans Dwight Phillips and John Moffitt, who won gold and silver respectively in Athens.
Triple jumper Trecia Smith, who finished fourth at the Olympics, will battle with all the medallists in Athens, champion Francoise Mbango Etone of Cameroon, silver medallist Hrysopiyi Devetzi of Greece and Russian Tatyana Lebedeva.
