Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
Veronica Campbell (left) wins the women's 100-metre final ahead of Sherone Simpson at the National Stadium last night.
Elton Tucker, Assistant Sports Editor
WORLD 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell, and Athens Olympics 200 metres champion, Veronica Campbell, retained their national 100 metres titles at the 2005 Supreme Ventures National Senior and Junior Athletics Championships last night.
In a thrilling women's race, Campbell, a student of Arkansas University in the United States had to dig deep to thwart local-based University of Technology student Sherone Simpson. Both women were awarded the same time, 10.97 seconds. The time was a personal best for Simpson, her first ever run below 11 seconds.
Aleen Bailey, 11.18, was third and Beverly McDonald fourth in 11.30. Tayna Lawrence, a member of Jamaica's golden girls quartet in Athens, was fifth in 11.32.
As he has done throughout the meet Powell, 10.04, was again very easy in posting victory. His winning margin was just one-hundredth of a second but he was never in danger of losing. His MVP Club training partner Michael Frater was second in 10.05 while Dwight Thomas ran on strongly for third in 10.08.
It was veteran's day in the men's and women's 400 metres hurdles finals.
upstaged rivals
Running before a large and appreciative grandstand only crowd at the National Stadium many-time national representatives Kemel Thompson and Debbie Ann Parris upstaged their rivals in the finals of both events.
Like he did in Friday's men's semi-finals, 30-year-old Thompson upstaged another veteran, 32-year-old Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane. After his win Thompson said it was not about beating one man.
"It's more about the championships and winning and it really feels good to run a fast time," Thompson said.
The 2002 champion captured the event in a season-best 48.14 seconds. McFarlane was a respectable distance back in 48.61 while Dean Griffith was third in 48.78. All three men represented the island at last year's Athens Olympics.
McFarlane said his goal was to finish in the top three and he had achieved that.
"I am happy to know that I am coming back from injury and I have reached where I am now," he said.
He promised that his season will get better. "When it matters most I will be there."
Ian Weakley was a surprising non-qualifier. He came into the meet as the fastest Jamaican this season and ran really well in Friday's semi-finals. Yesterday he was up with the leaders 200 metres out, but found little over the last two hurdles.
pre-favourite falls
The women's race was marred by the fall of pre-race favourite Melaine Walker over the eighth hurdle. Walker set a cracking pace and led at the top of the straight.
Parris, 32, and a fourth place finisher at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, then launched a strong challenge and as Walker fell she pulled away to win in 55.45. Shevon Stoddart was second in 56.19 and Camille Robinson third in 57.41. Walker made a gallant effort to grab a top three spot but finished only fifth in 58.07 behind Edwin Allen schoolgirl Sherene Pinnnock who was fourth in 57.82.
Trecia Smith, fourth at the Athens Olympics last year, retained the national triple jump title. Smith outclassed her rivals with a very good leap of 14.63m. Suzette Lee was second with 13.81m and Andrea Linton third on 12.66.
National record holder Germaine Mason won the men's high jump with a moderate leap of 2.10m. Mason has been bothered by an injury for the past year and has only recently returned. Roger Morris, 2.00m and Cluet Warner 1.80m were second and third respectively.
Wolmer's schoolboy Tarik Edwards won the under-20 boys high jump with a 2.00m leap from Excelsior Community college's Jermaine Jackson and Manchester's David Edwards who were also credited with the same height. The under-18 boys event went to Herbert Morrison's Gerold Duncan, 1.95m with Julian Reid of Wolmer's second with the same height. Third was Jamaica College's Ramon Cooper with 1.80m.
