Ex-Hog back in 200 final

Former Arkansas Razorbacks runner Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica (bottom) edged American Carmelita Jeter by 0.07 seconds to win her semifinal heat in the 200 meters Tuesday in London.
Former Arkansas Razorbacks runner Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica (bottom) edged American Carmelita Jeter by 0.07 seconds to win her semifinal heat in the 200 meters Tuesday in London.

— Two-time defending Olympic champion and former Arkansas Razorbacks runner Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica will try for her third consecutive gold medal in the 200 meters after winning her semifinal heat Tuesday in London.

Campbell-Brown, who won a bronze medal Saturday in the 100, won the first semifinal Tuesday in 22.32 seconds. Carmelita Jeter of the United States, who won silver in the 100 meters, finished 0.07 seconds behind Campbell-Brown.

Allyson Felix of the United States won her semifinal race, as did American Sanya Richards-Ross, who outleaned Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica to win in 22.30 seconds.

Felix is a two-time runner-up to Campbell-Brown in the 200.

In other women’s events, Ivanique Kemp of the Bahamas, who will be a senior at Arkansas, finished 22nd overall and did not qualify for the final in the 100 hurdles. Kemp, who was making her Olympic debut, finished eighth in the second semifinal heat in 13.56.

On the men’s side, former Razorbacks runner Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville) clinched a spot in today’s semifinals for the 200 after finishing second in his heat and seventh overall in 20.47. Current Arkansas runner Marek Niit clocked a seaon-best 20.82 to finish sixth in his heat and 38th overall. He did not advance to the semifinals.

Spearmon, who finished third in the 200 at the Beijing Games but was disqualified for running out of his lane, had to work hard to finish second in his heat behind Ecuador’s Alex Quinonez. He then complained that he had trouble running in Lane 2.

“It’s too tight. Definitely too tight,” Spearmon said. “I didn’t like it. I don’t want to go back there again.”

Spearmon, like everyone else, has been keeping a close eye on Jamaica’s Usain Bolt.

“He’s in shape,” Spearmon said. “He’s healthy again.”

Bolt opened defense of his 200 title with a stress-free first-round heat of 20.39. He powered to the lead early, then eased up to a jog over the final 80 meters.

“I was taking it as easy as possible. It’s my first [200] run. I’m looking forward to [today],” said Bolt, who will run in today’s semifinal as he tries to become the only man with two Olympic titles in the 200. The final is Thursday.

Also easing into the next round was Bolt’s training partner, Yohan Blake, who won his heat in 20.38. While Bolt holds the world record of 19.19, it’s Blake with the second-fastest time — 19.26 — who cannot be ignored.

“I’m feeling good,” Blake said. “I’ve trained for this. That’s why they call me ‘The Beast.’ The track is fast. Usain is really fast. But I’m in great shape. Anything is possible.”

A third Jamaican, Warren Weir, finished his race in 20.29, 0.01 slower than the morning’s fastest time, posted by Quinonez.

In addition to the 200 semifinals, today’s action also will aeature former Razorbacks Alistair Cragg and Jeremy Scott. Cragg, in his third Olympic appearance for Ireland, will run in the first round of the 5,000 and Scott will compete in the qualifying round of the pole vault for the United States.

Sports, Pages 19 on 08/08/2012

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