Despite a few setbacks, Veronica Campbell Brown upbeat

[Sickko]

Tuesday, 04 August 2009
Despite a few setbacks, Veronica Campbell Brown upbeat as Berlin approaches - IAAF Online Diaries


July was a busy month for Veronica Campbell Brown as she prepares for the upcoming World Championships in Berlin. From recovering from her second ‘injury’ of the season, to being a tourist to sporting a new ‘do’, done by a teammate.

"What a month July has been!

"I have experienced the highs and the lows of our sport and it took less than 11 seconds to take it all in.

"I traveled to my training base in Greece in early July and had my first competition on the continent on July 13th in Athens. It was in Athens of course that I had won my first Olympic gold medal. This time it was the 100m that I won in a season best (10.96), however, approximately five metres from the end, I experienced a severe muscle cramp.

"Unfortunately, this injury ruled me out of my next scheduled competition in Rethymno (100m & 200m). I must say, however, that I was also fortunate as my doctor was on location in both Athens and Rethymno and his excellent work got me back up and running by the time we got to Barcelona.

"I know my fans are worried about my pre-Berlin preparations as I have twice had injury setbacks, however, that is part and parcel of our wonderful sport so I have to press on!

"I have had great medical care and I remain in a positive mental frame.

"Speaking of my fans, some of you have commented positively on my hairstyle. This was a courtesy of my OTM teammate quarter-miler Shereefa Lloyd, perhaps she will venture into this as a post athletic calling as she really did me up and I must confess that I really like wearing the “do.”

"I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Greece, Rethymno is especially beautiful with areas there reminding me of Jamaica’s famous Negril strip.

"I intend to go back there with my husband Omar for a vacation when I “take the spikes off.”

"Barcelona is fast becoming a must stop for me on the circuit.

"I had a rather interesting press conference whilst there. This was conducted on a double-decker bus while I toured the Catalan capital.

"I also stopped in Monaco a most scenic place. No I did not visit the casinos, however, I did indulge a small bit in some shopping!

"Now it is on to the German capital for my third consecutive World Championships. I will be back with you thereafter.

Until next time,
VCB

[Karl]

Nice!
She's right some of us wonder on her injuries and whether or not she is A-OK! I hope she is FULL 100 come Worlds 'running time'!

[Historian]

Veronica vs Allyson

"I know my fans are worried about my pre-Berlin preparations as I have twice had injury setbacks, however, that is part and parcel of our wonderful sport so I have to press on!

"I have had great medical care and I remain in a positive mental frame.

"Now it is on to the German capital for my third consecutive World Championships. I will be back with you thereafter.

This is a lovely interview, Sickko, and thanks for posting it (I’ve only now gotten a chance to read it for the first time). Hopefully, Veronica will enter her events completely injury free.

Like Don1, I too regard Veronica Campbell-Brown as Jamaica’s most outstanding female athlete of this era, and right up there alongside the great Merlene Ottey. Of course, in terms of global meets and her achievements, Veronica has two distinct advantages over the great Merlene: (a) Drug testing in this era has been much more thorough and much more successful than back in the 1980s and 1990s; (b) the IAAF World Youth Championships and the IAAF World Junior Championships, both global athletic events, did not exist when Merlene was a teen.

For historical reasons, I’m now posting the comparative achievements of Veronica Campbell-Brown with that other excellent 200-meter sprinter, Allyson Felix. It is easy to notice an obvious pattern.

Looking Back: Allyson Felix versus Veronica Campbell-Brown

2004 Olympic Games (Athens)
Gold: Veronica Campbell-Brown
Silver: Allyson Felix

2005 IAAF World Championships (Helsinki)
Gold: Allyson Felix
Fourth: Veronica Campbell-Brown

2007 IAAF World Championships (Osaka)
Gold: Allyson Felix
Silver: Veronica Campbell-Brown

2008 Olympic Games (Beijing)
Gold: Veronica Campbell-Brown
Silver: Allyson Felix

By the way, Karl, trust me when I say that you are on the wrong track on the matter of the “fresher legs” issue I raised a couple of days ago. An athlete who will be competing in the 200-meter event only is bound to be a less tired athlete when compared with one who has competed in four rounds of 100-meter races prior to the start of the 200-meter heats! I can assure you that Veronica Campbell-Brown and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, both excellent sprinters, will be going into the 200-meter race with this disadvantage when compared with Allyson Felix.

This, in fact, is one of the reasons why Usain Bolt, in my view, is a bit “different” from the rest of us humans when we put his world records into context! In fact, I’m going to suggest that there is probably no sprinter alive at this time who could have smashed a record like Michael Johnson’s incredible 19.32 (1996) record after running eight rounds, and after setting an amazing world record in round four (the final of the 100-meter dash)!!!

[Karl]

By the way, Karl, trust me when I say that you are on the wrong track on the matter of the “fresher legs” issue I raised a couple of days ago. An athlete who will be competing in the 200-meter event only is bound to be a less tired athlete when compared with one who has competed in four rounds of 100-meter races prior to the start of the 200-meter heats! I can assure you that Veronica Campbell-Brown and Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie, both excellent sprinters, will be going into the 200-meter race with this disadvantage when compared with Allyson Felix.

This, in fact, is one of the reasons why Usain Bolt, in my view, is a bit “different” from the rest of us humans when we put his world records into context! In fact, I’m going to suggest that there is probably no sprinter alive at this time who could have smashed a record like Michael Johnson’s incredible 19.32 (1996) record after running eight rounds, and after setting an amazing world record in round four (the final of the 100-meter dash)!!!

& wry

There is a fit athlete and a strong athlete...and then there is the fit yet still weak athlete (e.g. Asafa and before him Hasley Crawford...and currently our own Shelly Ann Fraser - None of these mentioned can handle the 100/200 as although they have the basic speed...cannot 'maintain' over the longer distance...worn out after 150M/tired/weak).

If VC is fit & injury free, as it has been in her entire career she will beat Felix with her quicker 100M speed...and maintain! When fit VC is strong as an Ox!

Naaah sah, Felix will have no advantage for having less running to do.

My belief is, for the 200M finals, VC desperately needs the 100M rounds and the 200M rounds to have her 'fighting fit' and at her fastest.

[Historian]

Karl, you are missing my point

There is a fit athlete and a strong athlete...and then there is the fit yet still weak athlete (e.g. Asafa and before him Hasley Crawford...and currently our own Shelly Ann Fraser - None of these mentioned can handle the 100/200 as although they have the basic speed...cannot 'maintain' over the longer distance...worn out after 150M/tired/weak).

I’m not saying that Veronica cannot handle the 100/200 that a combination of running the 100 and 200-meter races demand. I would be talking nonsense if I said or even implied this!!

All that I am saying is that a 100/200/400-meter athlete like Allyson Felix will have a definite advantage over a Veronica Campbell-Brown who has already competed in four rounds of 100-meter races the previous two days! We’re not talking about Veronica vs. Shelly-Ann Fraser! Look at the results from the past four global meets that I posted above!

If VC is fit & injury free, as it has been in her entire career she will beat Felix with her quicker 100M speed...and maintain! When fit VC is strong as an Ox!

Naaah sah, Felix will have no advantage for having less running to do.

I guess you did not bother to even glance at the results from the past four global meets that I included in my first post above. In case you did not notice, the 200-meter race over the past four years has basically been a battle between these two women! Allyson Felix won on two occasions; Veronica won on two occasions. Also, Allyson got silver on both other occasions, while Veronica got silver on only one of the two occasions (failing to get a medal in 2005).

My belief is, for the 200M finals, VC desperately needs the 100M rounds and the 200M rounds to have her 'fighting fit' and at her fastest.

Honestly, this does not make a great deal of sense, so I won’t comment.

[Karl]

I’m not saying that Veronica cannot handle the 100/200 that a combination of running the 100 and 200-meter races demand. I would be talking nonsense if I said or even implied this!!

All that I am saying is that a 100/200/400-meter athlete like Allyson Felix will have a definite advantage over a Veronica Campbell-Brown who has already competed in four rounds of 100-meter races the previous two days! We’re not talking about Veronica vs. Shelly-Ann Fraser! Look at the results from the past four global meets that I posted above!




I guess you did not bother to even glance at the results from the past four global meets that I included in my first post above. In case you did not notice, the 200-meter race over the past four years has basically been a battle between these two women! Allyson Felix won on two occasions; Veronica won on two occasions. Also, Allyson got silver on both other occasions, while Veronica got silver on only one of the two occasions (failing to get a medal in 2005).


Honestly, this does not make a great deal of sense, so I won’t comment.

Take it easy! We merely have two different takes on the possible outcome and why we each think our take is correct. We shall not know who is correct until the race has been run.

Now to your response to my immediate previous post -
1. In my view VC is already much faster over the first 100M than Allyson...but has had 2 interruptions in her training schedule/in her preparations and is therefore not yet at her strongest.

My take - VC needs the rounds!
There is such a thing as running into form during a meet with many rounds...latest example I can just pull out of the air - Gatlin...and VC at the last Olympics. ...added late on re-reading - Carl Lewis! ...and did
Flo-Jo also do this?

2. Allyson has been running just about her best ever in the 100M & 200M and she is still slower than VC over the first 100M and her body and muscles 'may send her a message' (over worked) as the rounds go on. In fact her straining for greater speed in her 100M races may have put more pressure on her leg muscles. In any case she has been working extremely hard (too hard?) all season...VC has not worked as hard.

So it could be any of 2 ways - a) Allyson's work makes her stronger...but not quicker (check her season's 100M times? I am going off memory, have not checked. Think she ran once a win aided 10.90+? ...10.98?).

...or b) she comes into the Worlds gettng weaker and weaker as the rounds go on i.e. overworked throughout her season?

In any case she is slower than VC and needs to run down VC in the straight to defeat her.

3. As per 2 above VC comes into the Worlds 'fresh'! ..and gets stronger as the meet goes on. (Why do you find this 'funny'/"not making much sense" I have not a clue?)

4. The race I expect to see - VC comes off the turn and into the straight leading - and maintains. Allyson does not get her...closes to 3 or 4 metres but comes in second...just as in Beijiing.

----------

I wonder if it was possible that in the 2 previous Worlds VC was not fully fit and had consciously 'taken the year off'? Was there a difference with her preparations in the Olympic years as compared to her World years?

How do the preparations in the years VC defeated Allyson, i.e. the Olympic years, compare with that in the years VC lost i.e. the World years? ...time and distances races run? How do they compare to her present preparations?

It is important to note in the races Allyson won VC 'caved' before the tape. In the races VC won she let down after the tape! (Again - memory!/mind's eye recall!)

btw - What conclusions did you draw from the results you posted?

...mine was, a fully fit VC is better at the 200M than a fully fit Felix!
Felix does not have VC's speed. If VC maintains form to the end of the race she wins!

[Historian]

At least we agree on one thing

4. The race I expect to see - VC comes off the turn and into the straight leading - and maintains. Allyson does not get her...closes to 3 or 4 metres but comes in second...just as in Beijiing.

btw - What conclusions did you draw from the results you posted?

...mine was, a fully fit VC is better at the 200M than a fully fit Felix!
Felix does not have VC's speed. If VC maintains form to the end of the race she wins!

Karl, at least we’ve agreed on one thing (see the sentence highlighted in red)! I share that view of yours, and not merely because of my nationality.

We’ll nevertheless just have to disagree on the central issue of my argument, but I’ll still say this: I’ve never heard of a tired athlete having the same advantage as a fit athlete, when both have a similar caliber (by “similar caliber” I’m referring to 200 meters speed/personal bests, with VCB’s being 21.74 (2008) and AF’s being 21.81 (2007).

Nevertheless, I’ll ignore everything else until the end of the finals in Berlin and instead simply comment on your statement, “Just as in Beijing.” This “Just as in Beijing” statement, of course, conveniently forgets the two IAAF World Championships (2005 and 2007)!

So, let’s wait until Berlin and the finals of the women’s 200 meters and then continue this conversation. But, in the meantime remember that the only posted predictions I’ve made so far, the 200-meter women, has Allyson winning the gold medal this time around.

[Karl]

[quote=Historian;179077]Karl, at least we’ve agreed on one thing (see the sentence highlighted in red)! I share that view of yours, and not merely because of my nationality. [quote]

Good!

We’ll nevertheless just have to disagree on the central issue of my argument, but I’ll still say this: I’ve never heard of a tired athlete having the same advantage as a fit athlete, when both have a similar caliber (by “similar caliber” I’m referring to 200 meters speed/personal bests, with VCB’s being 21.74 (2008) and AF’s being 21.81 (2007).

...and that's the crux of the matter!
You think VB shall be tired after the rounds of the 100M and the 200M...and I think she would have just hit peak form...run herself to peak form!

Nevertheless, I’ll ignore everything else until the end of the finals in Berlin and instead simply comment on your statement, “Just as in Beijing.” This “Just as in Beijing” statement, of course, conveniently forgets the two IAAF World Championships (2005 and 2007)!

So, let’s wait until Berlin and the finals of the women’s 200 meters and then continue this conversation. But, in the meantime remember that the only posted predictions I’ve made so far, the 200-meter women, has Allyson winning the gold medal this time around.

Yup! ...let's wait!

Aside:
...I thought you said, Shelly Ann Fraser wins the 100M? ...and here I was about to say...perhaps you're right?

...but I am picking a fit Ms. Keron Stewart!

[Gamma]

the major breakthrough came with the syringe being sent to the authorities..look at the fallout from that one syringe? the cheats were one up on the authorities.

[Gamma]

and in all VC competed in 100 AND 200? what about felix? did she only compete in the 200?

[Karl]

and in all VC competed in 100 AND 200? what about felix? did she only compete in the 200?

Thanks!
I missed that!

If memeory serves me right - Felix I think ran only the 200M and the 4 x 400M.

VC always runs the 100M, 200M and the 4 x 100M...save and except the last Olympics where she was not in the 100M.