Campbell-Brown extends impressive streak

Five-time Olympian and 46-time international medalist makes it 18 years in a row with 22-second effort in 200 meters, giving her opportunity to qualify for sixth IAAF World Championships at Jamaican Nationals in June

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Veronica Campbell-Brown not only ran the fastest wind-legal women’s 200-meter time in the world Thursday in her outdoor opener at the 73rd Pepsi Florida Relays, but the Jamaican star extended one of the most impressive streaks in the sport.

Campbell-Brown, 34, clocked 22.60 seconds to prevail over Canadian Crystal Emmanuel in 22.86.

It marked the 18th consecutive year that Campbell-Brown has posted a wind-legal 22-second effort in the 200. She won 28 straight 200 races during one stretch of her career from 2000-05.

Campbell-Brown moved ahead of 18-year-old American Candace Hill, who ran 22.76 on March 17 at Georgia Tech. Texas A&M freshman Danyel White ran a wind-aided 22.55 on March 25 at the Texas-San Antonio Roadrunners Invitational.

There is a still women’s college invitational 200 scheduled Friday at Florida Relays, along with the women’s invitational 200 on Saturday at the 90th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, so it is uncertain if Campbell-Brown’s mark will survive the weekend.

But the 46-time international medalist and five-time Olympian demonstrated she is still capable of competing at an elite level and has the potential to qualify for a sixth IAAF World Championships, providing she is healthy June 22-25 for the Jamaican National Senior Championships in Kingston.

Another Jamaican, 24-year-old Leah Nugent, ran the world’s fastest time in the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 55.53. Australian Lauren Wells ran the previous top mark March 11 with her 55.97.