Sport

Ver seeks another double

Veronica Campbell and Allyson Felix - file

ATHENS triple sprint medallist, Jamaica's Veronica Campbell, will have her hands full when she seeks to successfully defend the women's sprint double at this weekend's World Athletics Final in Monaco.

A strong late season competitor, Campbell completed 2004 as the world's leading female all-round sprinter and this year has performed equally well.

Campbell who won silver in the 100m at last month's World Championships, has dominated the short sprint this season. She has won six of seven 100m in which she has competed and clocked a personal best 10.85 seconds at the Zurich Golden League meet on August 19.

The Jamaican sprint queen followed that up with a wind-assisted 10.89 two days later in Sheffield, England, and is now on top of her form.

Severely tested

In Monaco, the number two ranked Campbell will be severely tested by top-ranked Christine Arron of France and number three Lauryn Williams of the United States.

The inconsistent Williams beat both Campbell and Arron in Helsinki and ran a personal best 10.88 behind Campbell in Zurich. The American just held on in Helsinki, however, and Campbell seems to have momentum on her side now.

Frenchwoman Arron always seems to lack the killer touch on the big day and may fall short again.

Arron who turns 32 next Tuesday and Bahamian Chandra Sturrup, 34 this month, represent the older generation of sprinters.

The long-legged Arron has dipped under 11 seconds five times this season and was on target for a share of the Golden League jackpot before she was defeated by Campbell in Zurich.

Arron will be running close to home and will provide a serious challenge to both Campbell and Williams. Despite finishing out of the medals in Helsinki, Sturrup has assembled a solid campaign, topped by her world-leading 10.84 national record in Lausanne. She will also have winning momentum on her side after her 11.01 win in Linz.

200m battle

Two other Jamaicans, Sherone Simpson and Aleen Bailey, are expected to line up in the 100m.
The 200m is billed to be a battle between Campbell and World Champion, teenage sensation Allyson Felix of the United States.
Felix ended Campbell's win streak in the 200m in London before claiming the world title weeks later. Undefeated in eight competitions and the world leader after her 22.13 at the U.S. Championships, Felix will be the woman to beat in Monaco.

Campbell finished a disappointing fourth in the 200m in Helsinki and will want to make amends. She had been consistent in the event leading up to Helsinki and could use late-season form to upstage her rivals.

Of the others, American Rachelle Boone-Smith should do well. She pulled off a big surprise in Helsinki, where she finished second in 22.31 but had shown good speed earlier when she clocked a personal best 22.22 to finish runner-up to Felix.
The 100m final will be run on Friday with the 200m the following day.

The expected starters are : 100m Christine Arron (France), Veronica Campbell, Sherone Simpson, Aleen Bailey (Jamaica), Lauryn Williams, Me'Lisa Barber (USA), Yuliya Nesterenko (Belarus) and Chandra Sturrup (Bahamas).
200m: Allyson Felix, LaTasha Colander, Rachelle Boone-Smith (USA), Kim Gevaert (Belgium), Veronica Campbell (Jamaica), Christine Arron (France), Cydonie Mothersill (Cayman Islands) and Yulia Gushchina (Russia).