Report06 Aug 2012


London 2012 - Event Report - Women's 200m Round One

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Sanya Richards-Ross of the United States runs alongside Norma Gonzalez of Colombia in the Women's 200m heat on Day 10 of the London 2012 Olympic Games on 6 August 2012 (© Getty Images)

Chasing a record third victory, Veronica CampbellBrown will need to draw on all of her vast experience if she is to become the first woman to achieve the feat and move ahead of the brace of gold medals Barbel Eckert claimed in 1976 and 1980.

The 30-year-old Jamaican showed when winning the 100m bronze medal behind Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Carmelita Jeter there is plenty of pace in her legs and now from past major Championships will be confident she has the strength to target her place in Olympic history.

Fans of the sprint ace who 12 years ago became the first woman to win both the World Junior Championships 100m and 200m titles and then pick up an Olympic 4x100m relay silver medal, would probably have liked to have seen her move into the semi finals with a more positive display.

Campbell-Brown placed third in 22.75 behind Maria Ryemyen who clocked a personal best 22.58 and Myriam Soumare who matched her 2012 fastest of 22.70, but was clearly conserving energy for the expected two monumental two races she faces in the next two days.

"It's not that difficult, I am used to it," said Campbell-Brown. "I have been doing the double for many years now. It's the first round. The aim is to get to the final and run as best as I can there."

But the defending champion knows her arch-rival Allyson Felix, after having had to settle for the silver medal behind her in Athens and Beijing, will be itching to cancel out those defeats and showed in the first round she has arrived in London ready to do so.

The American who set a lifetime best 100m time of 10.89 when fifth in the final, won her qualifier with the minimum of effort gradually hauling herself ahead of Semoy Hackett who was slightly in front coming off the final bend by 0.10sec in an effortless 22.71. Janelle Redhead took third in a season's fastest 23.08.

There was also a solid showing from fellow Team USA colleague Carmelita Jeter who blasted around the curve and rocketed to a three metres win in 22.65 beating the host nation's Abi Oyepitan and Sherone Simpson who clocked 22.92 and 22.97.

Jeter insisting she must switch her attention away from her 100m runner up performance, said: "I can't get too excited right now, my mind needs to be on the semis. Winning silver in the 100m doesn't help me in this race, although I am confident."

Less than 24 hours after having finally lifted the Olympic 400m gold medal, Sanya Richards-Ross took the first step to emulating the sprint double achieved by fellow countrywoman Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984. She did it in immaculate style running the fastest time of the night with a clocking of 22.48.

Richards-Ross revealed: "I am still on cloud nine from yesterday. That was my ultimate dream come true. I didn't get to bed until about 2.00 in the morning. I couldn't get to sleep, I was so excited."

Looking towards the next 48 hours, she added: "I am excited to have the opportunity to race in the 200 metres. I am going to give my best. The 200 metres is a fun event, so we will see what I have got."

Laverne Jones-Ferrette and Hrystyna Stuy off the pace when Richards-Ross accelerated coming down the home straight, qualified automatically for the semi-finals in 22.64 and 22.66.

The opening heat saw World Indoor 60m silver medallist Murielle Ahoure win in 22.55 from Aleksandra Fedoriva who clocked 22.61 with the host nation's Margaret Adeoye going under 23sec for the first time in 22.94.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce brought the qualifiers to their conclusion and coming speedily off into the home straight took the tape 0.04sec ahead of last month's World Junior 100m/200m champion Anthonique Strachan - the first to achieve the feat since Campbell-Brown - in 22.71 with Elyzaveta Bryzgina following them home in 22.82.

David Martin for the IAAF
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