VCB Tackles Felix at Fayetteville this weekend

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS, United States (CMC) — World and Olympic 200 metres champion Veronica Campbell Brown will renew her rivalry with American Allyson Felix at the United States Track and Field Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas at the weekend.

Campbell Brown, who will defend her title at this year's Summer Olympics in London, and Felix have a long history of head-to-head battles and Saturday's clash is expected to serve up another.

At the Beijing Olympics four years ago, Campbell Brown beat Felix into second, but the American exacted her revenge a year later at the Berlin World Championships when she won gold to reverse the result.

Last year, Campbell Brown again got the better of Felix in Daegu, setting the stage for another marquee match-up in London.

Campbell will carry the confidence from her recent 60 metres win in New York into the clash where she will be installed as favourite.

Both athletes will face challenges from USA Indoor champion Alexandria Anderson, 2008 Olympic Trials 100m champion Muna Lee and two-time NCAA 200m champion Porscha Lucas.

Grenada's teenaged 400 metres World champion Kirani James will also grace the outing when he tangles with Olympic bronze medallist David Neville and 2009 USA indoor champion Jamaal Torrance.

James, now 19, was only 18 when he stunned his field in Daegu to become the youngest ever 400m World champion.

He will enter Saturday's race having never lost in his professional career which he launched spectacularly at the London Grand Prix last August.

Meanwhile, Trinidadian sprinter Richard Thompson will look to launch his season when he battles a host of Americans in the 60 metres dash.

He will line up alongside Wallace Spearmon, Darvis Patton, Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford.