Report13 Mar 2010


2010 World Indoor Championships - women's 60m final

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Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica wins the women's 60m title in Doha beating pre-race favourite LaVerne Jones-Ferrette (© Getty Images)

One thing we have learned from today is never discount Veronica Campbell-Brown.

The two-time Olympic 200m champion and 2007 World 100m champion flew under the radar coming into these championships as LaVerne Jones-Ferrette of the US Virgin Islands and Carmelita Jeter of the USA hogged much of the pre-race attention.

Yet it was Campbell-Brown, the World No.4 before the event, who delivered when it mattered most, blitzing to victory in 7.00 - the fastest winning time at a World Indoor final for 11 years.

Jones-Ferrette and Jeter put in a spirited display, claiming the silver and bronze in 7.03 and 7.05, respectively but this was the Jamaican's day, as it so often is.

Campbell-Brown, who landed Jamaica's first medal in the event since Merlene Ottey struck gold in 1995, said: "I knew the race would be very competitive. I am very confident and mentally focused. I came here with a mindset that I would I come out and execute. It is a very short race, by far the most technical."

Jones-Ferrette, the world No.1 following her stunning 6.97 in Stuttgart, the fastest women's 60m time for 11 years, was elated to have made history and land her country's first precious metal at a global championships.

"I just wanted a medal," she said. "When I leaned up through the finish line, that was my only thinking, a medal. And it happened, so I'm happy. First ever for my country. This is a great boost for the summer and my next goal is to break 11 seconds at 100m."

Jones-Ferrette and Campbell-Brown were level out of the blocks, but Jeter made a slugglish start out in lane seven and was some way down. The 28-year-old from the US Virgin Islands held a slight lead at 20m before Campbell-Brown edged level and inched ahead by the 40m mark.

Jeter was starting to pick up speed and finishing like an express train, yet she ran out of both time and distance. The popular Campbell-Brown dipped for the line to take her first major indoor title with Jones-Ferrette just holding on to silver from Jeter, the second fastest 100m women in history after her 10.64 in Shanghai.

Jamaica's Sheri-Ann Brooks equalled her personal best set in the semi-finals to finish equal fourth in 7.14 alongside Ruddy Zang Milama of Gabon.

The 38-year-old Chandra Sturrup finished sixth in a season's best 7.16 with the 2008 World Indoor bronze medallist Tahesia Harrigan (7.17) in seventh. The order was complete with Myriam Soumare of France (7.29) in eighth. 

Steve Landells for the IAAF

Note:
In December 2010 it was confirmed that Jones-Ferrette had failed a doping control test on February 16 that year. She was suspended for six months and all her results between February 16 and September 30 were annulled. So Jeter was promoted to silver and Brooks shared the bronze with Milama.