Is Veronica Campbell Brown at a Crossroads?

[TrackDaddy]

We all know that the great VCB was nursing injuries this year. Even still she managed silver in the 200, but finished out of the medals in the 100.

Her and Muna were the only major players to attempt a double in these world championships.

If you look at Osaka, Berlin and Beijing she seems to perform much better when she focuses on one event. In Osaka I believe the 100m rounds is the reason Allyson blew her out in the 200m. In Beijing she only runs the deuce and wins handily. This year she doubles again and doesnt win either.

Can she rebound in the 100m? It's a different race than when she won in Osaka with an 11.0x. Should she focus on the 200m? Seeing that she's 27 and will be 30 in London does she continue to try and double in majors?

[Paul Henry]

I see your point, taking Sturrup and McKenzie as a proxy I think VCB has a 10.74 in her or a 21.70 but only if she concentrates on one event.

That said, I heard an interview with her where she declares that she hates to lose and when that happens more than winning she would prefer to step away from the sport. She's a married woman and realistically at 27, might be looking to capitalize on her best years of youth or see her best years as being behind her, so one would have to ask about her hunger to continue vs her instinctive call. I think if she's hungry enough there is a pie in the sky for her.

[jjimbojames]

Some very valid points, TD. For me, VCB should continue to do a lot of 100s on the circuit, as she has to have the speed to get out on Allyson, but I'd rather see her focus on just the 200m (and 3rd leg of the 4x100m) in champs

Realistically, with injuries aside and assuming Sherone back next year, she is the slowest and oldest of the Top 4 JAM women (10.73, 10.75, 10.82 vs 10.85) and at her age, with her level of conditioning already high, I'm not sure where she finds the extra to win titles. I'd rather see VCB winning titles and getting that elusive WC 200m and 3rd straight Oly gold than a 4th place and a silver again

[jpaule]

As an Allyson Felix fan, my favorite female track athlete, I saw Veronica smoke her last year in the OG's 200. I saw her buddy, Tyson Gay, injured last year run PRs in both the 100m and 200m. If VCB still wants to compete, and recoups from injuries, she might be better than ever. If she is, will somebody please tell her to leave Allyson alone?

I wouldn't count her out of the 100m either. If she gets a good start she can still hang with the best.

[jazzcyclist]

I think Muna Lee would have medaled in the 200 in both Beijing and Berlin if she had skipped the 100.

[jpaule]

I think Muna Lee would have medaled in the 200 in both Beijing and Berlin if she had skipped the 100.

And Veronica is actually younger than Muna.

[duckedup]

Re: Is Veronica Campbell Brown at a Crossroads?

We all know that the great VCB was nursing injuries this year. Even still she managed silver in the 200, but finished out of the medals in the 100.

Her and Muna were the only major players to attempt a double in these world championships.

If you look at Osaka, Berlin and Beijing she seems to perform much better when she focuses on one event. In Osaka I believe the 100m rounds is the reason Allyson blew her out in the 200m. In Beijing she only runs the deuce and wins handily. This year she doubles again and doesnt win either.

Can she rebound in the 100m? It's a different race than when she won in Osaka with an 11.0x. Should she focus on the 200m? Seeing that she's 27 and will be 30 in London does she continue to try and double in majors?

i would like to see her continue doubling. she's a tough runner and has shown that she's no pansy and can handle the rounds/pressure. the other bahamian (sp) women seem to do well with performing doubles at major meets even into their older ages. i would love to one day see her go sub 11/sub 22 in the same meet she would stamp herself as one of the greatest female sprinters of all time if she could ever pull it off. with the uncertainty of our sport why not just give it a go?

[TrackDaddy]

Re: Is Veronica Campbell Brown at a Crossroads?

i would love to one day see her go sub 11/sub 22 in the same meet she would stamp herself as one of the greatest female sprinters of all time if she could ever pull it off. with the uncertainty of our sport why not just give it a go?

What's more valuable...

A silver and a 4th place finish from a double attempt or...

One Gold earned from concentrating on your marquee event?

[vip]

I think for some people (Bolt excluded) it's not wise to be a jack of two trades and a master of none.

Sanya Richards is world class at 200 but is very wise to concentrate on the 400, where she's almost unbeatable. She has made quite a reseme for herself, and $$$, by sticking with one.

The 100-200 is a doable double, but depending on one's talent and the strength of field, that person could be best served by getting the sure gold rather than a pair of bronzes. Or a silver and 4th place.

[Mikewats]

I reckon if she hadn't messed up jam trials in 08 she would of got silver in 100 and gold in the 200(which she obviously did). I think the only reason she didn't do so well this year is because of injuries and doubling isn't such a big deal. It also depends a lot on her competitors. When she won world 100's her competitors wasn't running particularly quick, when she won 200 gold in 08 felix wasn't in same form as she was in this year and 07.

She's got plenty of good titles under her belt, she got a silver from an injury filled season it's not exactly bad.

[eldrick]

I reckon if she hadn't messed up jam trials in 08 she would of got silver in 100 and gold in the 200(which she obviously did). I think the only reason she didn't do so well this year is because of injuries and doubling isn't such a big deal

exactly

the assertion bandied about that she can't/shoudn't double up is nonsense

she ran 10.88/21.94 in '08 trials - that's the best double since inger miller 9y before ( excluding marion )

no one in their right minds woud have thought that 10.88 woudn't get her into top 3 in trials - she musta been shocked as anyone that it didn't make top 3 let alone win, considering best time by any other jama at low-altitude prior to trials was a 10.96 by kerron

if she'd been in peking 100, i think she wouda won that as well as the 200 - see the ridiculous 11+ she ran end of season with something astounding like a 0.5s rt - iirc that was a 10.69 with a good rt of 0.13s

[eldrick]

11.01. A quick gun left Campbell-Brown, the reigning 100m World champion, in the blocks after a sluggish start (0.567 reaction)

blimey !

that's 10.57 with a 0.13 rt !!!

[ILoveTrack]

the assertion bandied about that she can't/shouldn't double up is nonsense

Agreed. VCB won gold in the 200 in 2004 OG after a bronze in the 100 (I know that she ran the 100 at the OG and I think she took third). A healthy VCB was not going to beat Felix in 2007 nor in 2009 whether she doubled or not! As stated earlier, the Felix of 2007 and 2009 is quite different than the one at the end of 2008.

[jjimbojames]

I don't think anyone is saying she CAN'T double up - but that if she does, she is likely to find herself without a Gold medal from now on.

She may well post two incredible times in one champs (2008 JAM trials) but what's the point when those times are not winning major titles anymore. Sorry, but I struggle to believe that VCB will get to that 10.57 form, eldy, whatever the stats of that race suggest (though I doubt she'd need it to win, in fairness) whereas I can see the 10.7x girls getting better.

[Top_end_speed]

the assertion bandied about that she can't/shouldn't double up is nonsense

Agreed. VCB won gold in the 200 in 2004 OG after a bronze in the 100 (I know that she ran the 100 at the OG and I think she took third). A healthy VCB was not going to beat Felix in 2007 nor in 2009 whether she doubled or not! As stated earlier, the Felix of 2007 and 2009 is quite different than the one at the end of 2008.

So your telling me that a VC of form 2008 would not beat allyson of 2007 or 2009. Thats nonsense. If VC focused on only the 200 then the gold medal will be up in the air