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Campbell takes gold in photo finish

27/08/2007

Jamaica's Veronica Campbell has claimed gold in the women's 100m by the tightest of margins, as four athletes were involved in a photo finish.

Campbell was awarded the win by a 100th of a second from defending champion Lauryn Williams after a tense wait following the World Championship race in Osaka.

The new world champion clocked a time of 11.01 seconds, the same time as America's Williams, while Carmelita Jeter took bronze with a time of 11.02.

Such was the controversy following the race, four sprinters anxiously waited as the scoreboard awarded the gold medal to different athletes.

Pre-race favourite American Torri Edwards was initially flashed up as the winner, but finished fourth in the final standings to miss out of the medal positions.

Upon being confirmed as the winner, Campbell was finally allowed to celebrate her achievement.

"It was one of my longest moments," Campbell said, "I wasn't sure with all the names going back and forth [on the scoreboard] but I was happy to win.

"I was confident, positive, my start wasn't the greatest but I knew I had finished well," she added.

Her victory will be of some consolation to Jamaica, after their male sprint counterpart Asafa Powell missed out on gold in the men's 100m, finishing third behind the American winner Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas.