Veronica Campbel

Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Olympic champion Veronica Campbell and Kerron Stewart were in impressive form on the weekend at separate meets in United States.

Contesting her first 200m race in nearly a year, at the John McDonnell Invitational in Fayette-ville, Arkansas, Campbell, the reigning Olympic 200m champion in the event, won the women's race handily in 22.39, though assisted by a strong wind of +2.7 m/s.

Nonetheless, it was the 24-year-old Jamaican's fastest performance under any condition since the heats of the Commonwealth Games last March.

Campbell had been sidelined for a large part of last season with a quad injury, and this was her first individual race of 2007 after a 4x400m relay leg opener on March 24.

LEADING TIMES

At Auburn Invitational in Alabama, Stewart raced to world leading times in the sprints.

Stewart, the fourth fastest in the world for the past two seasons, logged an impressive 11.10 seconds to win the 100m, this after running a wind-assisted11.07 in the heats.

Other Jamaicans Noelle Graham was third in 11.47, followed by Tracey-Ann Rowe (11.50), Peta-Gaye Dowdie ( 11.58) and Jovanne Jarrett (11.91) in fourth, seventh and ninth positions respectively.

In the 200m, Stewart, who ran 22.3 indoors, was equally impressive as her winning time of 22.60 put her ahead of previous world leader and Jamaican Simone Facey (22.77).

Again, Jamaicans Dowdie (23.17), Rowe (23.37) and Annei-sha McLaughlin (24.07) were fourth, fifth and eighth respectively.

There were other Jamaicans winners at the meet, though.

These included Steve Mullings, who won the 100m (10.47) and 200m (20.80 ), Toni-Ann Doyle who took the women's 100m hurdles in 13.56, Michelle Williamson who cleared 1.78m to win the high jump, and Jarrett, who leapt 6.42m for the long jump title ahead of Graham (6.27m).

SPENCE THIRD

Former national champion Lansford Spence was third in the men's 400m in 45.99, way below his personal best (44.70). Spence was beaten by Fernada Blakley of Asics (45.19) and Arismendy Peguero of Dekalb T.C. (45.98).

At the TCU Invitational, Ricardo Williams won the 200m in 20.62 seconds, assisted by a 2.8 headwind.

Marvin Anderson and Williams ran 10.05 and 10.13 respectively in the 100m, but were assisted by a 3.9 headwind. The event was won by Blanton DaBryan in 10.02 seconds.

There were several other Jamaican winners at the Iowa Musco Invitational held at University of Iowa in Iowa City. They are Iowa's pair of Peaches Roach, who cleared 1.80m to win the high jump, and Renee White, who leapt 12.27 to win the triple jump, along with sprint double winner Lanceford Davis, who ran 10.45 to win the men's 100m and 21.01 to win the 200m.