BY HOWARD WALKER Observer senior reporter walkerh@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 01, 2015
Editor’s note: The Daily Observer begins its profile of the nominees for The RJR Sports Foundation 2014 Sportsman and Sportswoman-of-the-Year Awards, as well as the People’s Choice Performance of the Year award. The awards ceremony takes place on January 16 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
THE year 2014 was a gratifying one for Veronica Campbell Brown, who, after being exonerated of a doping violation, finished the season with aplomb to be a nominee for the RJR Sports Foundation National Sportswoman of the Year.
Campbell Brown, 32, showed a lot of resilience in one of the great comebacks of all time following clearance by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in February.
On May 5, 2013, just 11 days before her birthday, Campbell Brown tested positive for the diuretic Hydrochlorothiazide after competing at Jamaica’s National Senior Trials in Kingston and was unable to defend her 200-metre title at the World Championships in Moscow.
She denied taking the banned substance and was given a slap on the wrist by the local authorities in the form of a reprimand in September.
However, the sports ruling body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) contested the finding and in February 2014, ordered the Jamaican federation to impose a two-year suspension. Campbell Brown appealed to CAS and a hearing was held in London on February 21 where she was exonerated.
She resumed her career immediately and was a part of Jamaica’s team to the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, in March.
Campbell Brown, returning from a 10-month lay-off, finished fifth in the 60m in 7.13 seconds behind the winner and countrywoman Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 6.98 seconds. Campbell Brown had previously won the editions in 2010 and 2012.
The seven-time Olympic medallist, who is the second woman in history to win two consecutive Olympic 200m events, became Jamaican champion over 100 metres clocking 10.96 seconds to beat Kerron Stewart (11.02) and Schillonie Calvert (11.15) at Jamaica Senior Trials in June.
She went to the Commonwealth Games in July and copped the silver in the 100m in 11.03 seconds behind Nigerian Blessing Okagbare, who won in a Games-record time of 10.85 seconds.
Campbell Brown then teamed up with Kerron Stewart, Schillonie Calvert and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to win the 4x100m in a Games-record of 41.83 seconds.
On August 28, Campbell Brown made a triumphant return to the Diamond League, winning the 100m in Zurich in 11.04 seconds by the narrowest of margins to pocket a cool US$40,000.
“My season has had highs and lows,” Campbell Brown was quoted as saying, after battling Ivorian Murielle Ahoure all the way down the track where both women were given the same time of 11.04 seconds. But the Campbell Brown got the verdict, the times to three decimal places being given as 11.032 and 11.034 seconds.
Campbell Brown had garnered enough points to be the Diamond League 100m overall champion but her astonishing comeback was not yet completed.
In September, she won two golds medal at the IAAF Continental Cup in Morocco while representing the Americas.
She easily won the 100m in 11.08 seconds ahead of her teammate Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago in 11.25, with Dana Schippers of Netherlands third in 11.26 seconds.
Campbell Brown anchored the Americas team to victory in the 4×100 relays, teaming up with Ahye, fellow Jamaican Samantha Henry-Robinson and American Tianna Bartoletta and streaked away for an effortless victory in 42.45 seconds. Europe was second in 42.98 seconds.
Campbell Brown, who is one of only nine athletes to win World Championships at the Youth, Junior and Senior levels of an athletic event, finished the year ranked third for the 100m, despite coming back from a near one-year hiatus.
Campbell Brown, who turns 33 next May, has won the National Sports Woman of the Year award five times: in 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.
She is only second to the legendary Merlene Ottey, who won the title on 13 occasions between 1979 and 1995, a period in which the track and field discipline has won the last 37 awards dating back to 1977.
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VCB"s back with a bang!
