FILE PHOTOS
Veronica Campbell took the 60 metre.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
JAMAICA'S VERONICA Campbell recovered from a slow start to beat a star-studded 60m field, while national 800m champion Kenia Sinclair easily won her event at Friday night's 99th Millrose Indoor Games, inside New York's Madison Square Garden.
Campbell finished in an
almost dead-heat with American Me'Lisa Barber. Both women were awarded the same time, 7.10, but Campbell got the nod by three-thousandth of a second (7.095 to 7.098) to win her first Millrose title. Her victory brought hundreds of Jamaicans among the crowd of 14,851 to their feet.
"I didn't get the start I wanted," Campbell was quoted on USA Track & Field website saying.
"I was hesitant at the start, but I am very pleased to win," the Olympic 200m champion added.
"I'm very confident. The Lord has blessed me so much. I was just trying to catch up with the field. I realised Me'Lisa was way ahead," explained the World Championships 100m silver medallist.
POOR FINISHING
Barber who is coached by Jamaican Olympian Trevor Graham said she knew the race was always going to be competitive, but poor finishing let her down.
"I had a good start, and I guess I didn't finish that well, but it was a great race between all of us. At the very end, Veronica and I hit hands, so I knew it was very close," stated Barber, who along with other members of Graham's Sprint Capitol group were in Jamaica recently for training and the Douglas Forrest Invitational.
World 100m champion Lauryn Williams who was expected to be Campbell's main threat, finished third in 7.19.
She too blamed a bad start for her disappointing finish.
"I've got to work on my start, to say the least," said Williams.
NO EXCUSES
"I don't make excuses. It wasn't a perfect 10. I think it wasn't even five or above. Once I get above a five, it will be better.
Sinclair won the women's 800 in 2:05.62 ahead of Guyanese Marian Burnett (2:07.62) and American Christin Wurth (2:08.22). LaShawn Merritt took the men's 500 in 1:03.38.
Former national champion Christopher Pinnock finished at the back of the field in the men's 60m hurdles in 7.77 seconds. American Dominique Arnold won the event in 7.59.
In the men's 60m, Olympic 200 champion Shawn Crawford won his second Millrose title in five years, finishing in 6.59. John Capel was second in 6.63.
Olympic champion Joanna Hayes (7.93) won the women's 60m hurdles ahead of compatriots Jenny Adams (8.05), Nichole Denby (8.07), and Gail Devers (8.13).
Devers who gave birth to her first child last year dismissed rumours that she had retired. "I had a great pregnancy and I said OK I'm going to come back.
"This race I was just feeling my way through. I'm 39, but I'm not over the hill yet. To be honest, the one title I didn't have was motherhood," she said.
