FIFTEEN years after making her senior debut for Jamaica, Veronica Campbell-Brown has turned back the clock and silenced her many critics after earning bronze in the 200m at the World Championships currently taking place in Beijing, China. VCB, as she is affectionately known, then declared with resilience in her voice that “she is not over as yet”.

She emphatically stated: “Until God tells me it’s time to go, then I know it will be time to go. Right now I know it’s not time to go. God has not closed the door on me yet. I am staying focused on my team and my ability to keep the critics talking,” said a passionate Campbell-Brown.

VCB, 33, who won her first medal running the second leg of Jamaica’s silver medal-winning team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic as an 18-year-old, ran arguably the best curve of her career from lane two (essentially lane one) to earn bronze in a season’s best 21.97 seconds.

The race was the quickest ever 200m at the World Championships as Dutchwoman Dafne Schippers won in a championship record of 21.63 seconds with Jamaica’s rising star Elaine Thompson finishing second in 21.66 seconds.

It was Campbell-Brown’s 10th World Championship medal, inclusive of two gold, seven silver and one bronze, which takes her to third on the all-time list behind fellow Jamaican Merlene Ottey with 14 and American Allyson Felix – 11 medals.

“In most of my championships, I have come in as the underdog. But I don’t care about critics …I enjoy my critics because they push me. When people say Veronica needs to retire or Veronica does not have it, that motivates me to prove them wrong,” VCB stated with strong conviction in her voice.

After finishing third at the Jamaica National Championships in June, clocking 23.04 seconds, not many gave Campbell-Brown, the slightest chance to medal.

According to Campbell-Brown she slowly worked her way into shape and that was evident in her achieving her seasonal best with every round in Beijing.

VCB, who won the 200m title in 2011, started with 22.79 seconds her heat before lowering that to 22.47 seconds in the semi-finals and then had eyes popping with a magnificent 21.97 seconds for third in the final. It was the fastest time Campbell-Brown has ever run in her five appearances at the World Championship since 2005.

“It’s a blessing. It was a tough race especially from lane two, and I knew I had to go and give it everything I had, and I am glad it was good enough for a medal,” she pointed out.

“I was happy that I was able to come out here and trust my ability, trust God, and just run my heart out,” she said.

“I know that the field in the 200m was full of talents and where there is talent people are going to run fast because everybody is on edge and know that they have to go to be in position for a medal.

“I knew that it would be a fast race, but you can’t tell how fast. Very impressive run by Dafne (Schippers) and Elaine (Thompson) and all the other ladies in the field,” she added.

The 33-year-old, boosted by her stunning performance, will now turn her attention to the Olympics in Rio, Brazil next year.

“The key is to stay healthy. It has been a bit of a challenge this year to stay 100 per cent healthy, just to train the way I wanted to,” said Campbell-Brown.

“I really have to focus on my health so I can get quality races before trials and before Rio, because lacking quality races makes it so hard for me at these championships,” she noted.

“Overall, I think I am in a good place and I hope to keep this momentum going into 2016,” Campbell said.