OSAKA, Japan – Olympic 200-metre champion Veronica Campbell created history on yesterday’s third day of competition by becoming the first Jamaican across both genders to win the world 100 metres title at the 11th edition of the championships in the Nagai Stadium.

Following a less than desirable start, which saw her reacting fifth of the eight finalists, Campbell turned on the afterburner to close the gap on the American trio of Lauryn Williams, Carmelita Jeter and Torri Edwards in the last 30 metres to snatch victory with her trademark lean at the tape.

However, the photo-finish judges had the Trelawny native waiting on tenterhooks for the better part of 10 minutes, as they first awarded the win to Williams, then Edwards, then Williams, before rightfully awarding it to Campbell.

“It was nerve racking,” Campbell confessed to the Observer regarding the long wait she had to endure for the result. “Because names were going back and fort. and I wasn’t sure, so it was nerve racking,” the former Vere Technical standout explained.

Campbell and 2005 champion Williams were both timed at 11.01 seconds, with Jeter being credited with 11.02 to upset her compatriot and one of the pre-race favourites Edwards – the 2003 title holder.

Campbell’s country-woman, 2007 NCAA 200 metres champion Kerron Stewart finished a creditable seventh in the final with 11.12secs in her first senior World Championships.

“It’s quite an honour, it’s a blessing and I want to thank God for his help to deliver me tonight,” an elated Campbell related to the Observer moments after doing what her predecessors, including four-time medallist Merlene Ottey with two silver (1993 and ’95) and two bronze (’87 and ’91), failed to do in the 22-year history of the Championships.

“It’s a great feeling. I stayed patient and just executed well to surge at the end and I’m just grateful,” the Lance Brauman-coached sprinter added.

It was Jamaica’s second medal in these championships following world record holder Asafa Powell’s bronze the previous day and the nation’s 58th overall (seven gold, 23 silver and 28 bronze) since the inaugural staging of the meet in 1983.

With her breathtaking performance, Campbell joined the elite club of only three other Jamaicans to have secured a global title, behind Ottey, who captured 200m crowns in 1993 and ’95; Bert Cameron who copped the 400 title in 1983 and Trecia Smith, who snared the Triple Jump gold in 2005.

Campbell also became the first athlete to win at the World Youth Championship, World Junior Championship, Olympic Games and World Championships.

Campbell’s long time agent Claude Bryan told the Observer that her win is a testament to the hard work she has done to come back from a tough injury (quadriceps) sustained in Gateshead, England, in June 2006.

“Anyone who is familiar with Veronica Campbell knows that she is always going to be a pioneer and tonight was another step in the pioneering, no surprise what so ever!” a thrilled Bryan declared.

In yesterday’s other final which featured a Jamaican, Mardrea Hyman found the going very tough in the women’s 3000m steeplechase and crossed the finish line in 14th position in a pedestrian 10 minutes 16.24secs. Russian Yekaterina Volkova won the event in a new championship record of nine minutes 06.57.

Currently sixth in the medal table with one gold and one bronze, Jamaica has a chance of increasing its tally on today’s fourth day of competition, when 2004 Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane runs out of lane nine in the men’s 400m hurdles final.

Former World Junior Championship medallist, Melaine Walker and Kaleise Spencer, as well as Pan American Games Bronze medallist Nickiesha Wilson, will also contest the semi-finals of the women’s equivalent today.

Meantime, 2005 silver medallist Delloreen Ennis-London will be joined by fellow Jamaican, Lacena Golding-Clarke and Vonette Dixon in today’s semi-finals of the 100m hurdles after all three advanced from the preliminary round yesterday.

The 1999 Pam American Games bronze medallist, Elva Goulbourne will be missing from today’s women’s long jump final, after managing 6.32 metres in the qualifiers, which placed her 25th of 29 competitors.

Six other Jamaicans will be in action today as world junior record holder Usain Bolt, 2001 silver medallist Chris Williams and Pan Am silver medallist Marvin Anderson, contest the 200 metres, while Ricardo Chambers, Sanjay Ayre and Michael Blackwood go into the heats of the 400 metres.