Keisha Hill, Staff Reporter

Sprinters Asafa Powell (left) and Veronica Campbell-Brown pose with their trophies and medals after receiving top honours at the RJR Sports Foundation's 2007 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards ceremony, at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, on Tuesday night. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

World 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic and World Champion-ship gold medal sprinter Veronica Campbell-Brown are proud that their hard work was rewarded with the RJR Sports Foundation's Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards for 2007.

"I am feeling great. It is always good when hard work pays off and you are recognised for your accomplishments," said Campbell-Brown after receiving the prestigious award at Tuesday night's ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

"It has been great and I really appreciate this award," Campbell-Brown added.

Powell was thankful that he had had a successful year and was rewarded for his hard work.

Thankful

"It's good to win three times in a row. The first two times were not as challenging as this year," he acknowledged. "Maurice (Smith) did very well this year and offered good competition. I just have to be thankful," Powell said.

Campbell-Brown, having taken her second hold on the title since 2004, was rewarded for her 100 metres finish - dubbed the closest ever - at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, last year. In addition, she bagged silver medals in the 200m and 4x100m relay.

Powell, who has copped the award for the third time in a row since 2004, took bronze in the 100m at the World Championships and silver in the 4x100m.

Two weeks later, he lowered his own world record to a fantastic 9.74 seconds, clipping three-hundredths of a second off the old mark.

Delloreen Ennis-London was awarded second runner-up after clocking a Games record 12.65 seconds to take the gold at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Smith the runner-up

Decathlete Maurice Smith, hot off the heels after copping the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) Sportsman of the Year award, was the RJR Sports Foundation's runner-up for Sportsman of the Year.

Powell and Campbell-Brown won the awards from a short list of athletes which included Danny McFarlane, Usain Bolt, Dorian Scott, Novlene Williams, Nickiesha Wilson and Sherri Ann Brooks for athletics; Tashana Vincent, football; Karen Anderson, squash; and Christopher Gayle and Darren Powell for cricket.

Guest speaker Richard Fosbury, president of the World Olympians Association, congratulated the athletes and encouraged them not to be daunted by negative influences, but to strive to be the best in their game.

"Fair play is the honourable way and the best way to win," Fosbury said.

He is the American high jumper who revolutionised the sport by replacing the traditional approach to high jumping with an innovative backward style that became known as the 'Fosbury flop'.