Friday, 20 May 2005

Campbell joins Xiang in New York

Veronica Campbell anchors Jamaica to gold in the 4x100m relay  (Getty Images)

Veronica Campbell anchors Jamaica to gold in the 4x100m relay (Getty Images)

Veronica Campbell, the Jamaican sprint sensation who earned three medals - two of them gold - at the 2004 Olympic Games, will compete at the Reebok Grand Prix on 11 June in the new Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island.

Campbell who currently is IAAF World Ranked number one for 200m and second for 100m, joins Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang as the second 2004 Olympic star this week announced for the inaugural Reebok Grand Prix. Liu tied the World Record for the 110m Hurdles when he stormed to the gold medal in Athens.

Just 23 years old, Campbell comes to the Reebok Grand Prix as the top female sprinter in the world, thanks to her Olympic gold medals at 200m and the 4x100m relay plus the bronze at 100m last summer.

Her gold-medal time of 22.05 at 200m in Athens was not only the fastest in the world last year, but no woman has run faster in the last five years. At 100m, the 10.91 she posted at the World Athletics Final - where she took double victory at 100m and 200m - was the second - fastest in the world for 2004 at that distance.

Also the US collegiate record-holder at 200m indoors(22.43 in 2004) while competing for the University of Arkansas, Campbell was named 2004 Sportswoman of the Year in Jamaica.

She will compete at 100m in the New York City event.

The Reebok Grand Prix on June 11 is the fifth stop of USA Track & Field’s Visa Championship Series.