FAYETTEVILLE — The USATF billed Saturday’s women’s 60-meter dash as a showdown between longtime rivals Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix.
And why not? Campbell-Brown, a former Arkansas national champion, and Felix have been vying for Olympic and world championships for most of the past decade.
No one, apparently, told Tianna Madison. Madison, a former Tennessee star, changed the story line with a winning time of 7.02seconds at the USATF Classic at the Tyson Track Center.
Madison, the 2005 long jump world champion, also won her preliminary race in 7.05, which was the best time in the world this year until she won in the final.
“The point is stay in your lane and run your race,” Madison said, dismissing any thought of being motivated by the pre-race hype. “It doesn’t matter.”
Campbell-Brown made a late push to finish second in 7.08, while Felix was fourth in 7.11.
Campbell-Brown is the reigning world champion in the 60.
“It’s always good to win, but that wasn’t the focus,” Madison said. “The focus is nationals.”
Campbell-Brown said Madison winning didn’t surprise her.
“Obviously, I would have like to have won the race,” said Campbell-Brown, who didn’t appear to get a great start in the final, but quickly began to chase down the six woman field. “Tianna ran a very good race, and I would like to congratulate her. I always go into my race expecting anything. I never underestimate anyone.”
Felix said she wasn’t surprised, either, by Madison, her former training partner. Felix said Madison seized the race quickly with a “bullet start” and then held off the field.
Felix entered the 60 to get some competitive practice on her start for her speciality races, which are the longer sprints.
A true showdown between the two former Olympic and world gold medalists would have been in the 200, where Campbell-Brown, of Jamaica, has twice beat Felix for Olympic gold. Felix has seven world championships, including three in the 200 at the expense of Campbell-Brown.
“For me, the 60 is all about improving,” Felix said. “I haven’t run it in so long, I wasn’t sure what to expect.It’s really just working on explosive starts.”
Felix said she contacted race organizers to enter the 60 and then found out later that Campbell-Brown had also entered the race.
“Allyson and I have been rivals for many years,” Campbell-Brown said before the race. “Allyson and I haven’t run much 60 meters. I enjoy competing, and I enjoy having really good competition.”
For Campbell-Brown, it was a chance to return to her college stomping grounds where she won the 2004 indoor 200 national title. Campbell-Brown said the loaded fields in many of the professional races was because of the quality of the Tyson Track Center.
“I have memories of training and competition here,” Campbell-Brown said. “It’s always a pleasure to come back.
“Fayetteville has a special place in my heart.”
Sports, Pages 23 on 02/12/2012