Not missing a beat since her Olympic 200 metre triumph just three weeks ago, Veronica Campbell capped her first international season with a narrow 22.64 win in her specialty.
Riding a sizable lead off the curve, the 22-year-old Jamaican held off a strong-finishing Athens bronze medallist Debbie Ferguson by just 2/100s of a second, to remain unbeaten over the half lap this season. Campbell, whose 22.05 performance in Athens leads the world this season, began to wilt slightly in the final 20 metres, but mustered the energy to hold off the Bahamian's challenge. For Campbell, the $30,000 first place prize was by far the largest of her young career.
Compatriot Aleen Bailey, like Campbell a double sprint finalist in Athens, was a distant third in 22.84. Abi Oyepitan of Great Britain, another Athens finalist and runner-up to Kim Gavaert in Brussels, edged the Belgian here, finishing fourth in 23.09 to Geveart's 23.10. Cayman Islander Cydonie Mothersill was sixth (23.24), with 100 metre world leader Ivet Lalova even farther back in seventh (23.37).
BR