Campbell takes bronze in Olympic 100m
Veronica Campbell has her name all over the Barton County Community College record book. Saturday afternoon in Athens, Greece she once again did something no other Cougar had done before her -- win an individual medal in the Olympics. Campbell tunred that feat by capturing the bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics in the 100m dash. Campbell ran a 10.97 -- the 2nd best time of her career -- to earn the bronze.

Campbell, running for Jamaica, was one of 3 former Cougars who had a medal from a relay at the Olympic Games but becomes the 1st to notch the individual feat. Yuliya Nesterenko of Belarus won the gold with a time of 10.93 followed by Lauren Williams of the United States at 10.96, just ahead of Campbell. Aleen Bailey also ran in the race, giving former Cougars 25 percent of the finals field. Bailey took 5th in 11.05.

"It feels great. I wish I had the gold, because I wanted to have my national anthem played," Campbell said in the post race press conference. "But at the end of this meet I'll know it's great, so I'm very happy. It was a good race, but I could have got a better start."

In the semifinals earlier in the day, Campbell set a new career-best with her 2nd place time of 10.93. Once again it was Nesterenko who won the race in 10.92. Bailey, also a Jamaican, took 3rd in her semifinal heat to earn a spot in the finals as well. Bailey ran a 11.13. Williams won the heat in 11.01 while Sherone Simpson of Jamaica took 2nd in 11.03.

Campbell now has two Olympic medals. She was a member of the Jamaican 4x100m relay team that took silver in 2000 in Sydney as was Beverly McDonald, another ex Cougar. The other relay medal for Barton is held by Bernard Williams, a gold medal winner as part of the USA men's 4x100m relay team in 2000 as well.

Campbell has two more shots at adding gold to her Olympic medal collection. She will start 200m competition Monday, where she has the fastest time in the world this year. Campbell, along with former Cougars Bailey and McDonald will run on the Jamaican 4x100m relay team this year as well.