Family in Angels thanks God for Veronica's win

"Work! Me nah see work today!" an elated Pamela Bailey told The Gleaner after she witnessed her daughter, Veronica Campbell-Brown, race across the finish line to defend her Olympic 200-metre title yesterday.

Campbell-Brown, affectionately known as 'Ver' to her family, won the women's 200m final at the Beijing Olympics in a fast 21.74 seconds - the fastest time in 10 years.

Finished ahead of Felix

She finished ahead of the United States' Allyson Felix, who had to settle for second place to Campbell-Brown for the second Olympics in a row. Jamaican Kerron Stewart took bronze.

A bout of chicken pox was not enough to stop some of Campbell-Brown's nieces, nephews and younger siblings from cheering her on in the early hours of the morning.

"Go, Ver, go!" they shouted as she ran a perfect curve going into the final 100 metres. They crowded the small television set.

"Yeah!" they shouted, not in disbelief as she won, but in relief that she was able to defend her Olympic title.

"Oh Jesus, thank you, Lord," said a grateful Bailey, clasping her hands as she breathed a word of prayer.

There was no large crowd descending on the Baileys' home in Angels, St Catherine, as for other athletes in Waterhouse and Maxfield Avenue in recent days. Only a few neighbours poured in to give their praise, while one Mr Campbell (no relation) stood in his yard clanging two Dutch pot covers. Nevertheless, the mood was celebratory.

"Congrats, man," one woman said as she strolled into the living room. "Yes, man, she do it again."

"Sometimes you worry," said Bailey, "because the last time CVM come and she never win and me did feel so bad."

Sister nervous

Campbell-Brown's elder sister, Beverley Smith, was also a little nervous as she watched the little girl she looked after run the race of her life.

"Look there, I bite all mi fingernails. I did feel so sick because if she don't get it right, there are some people that might say things," said Smith.

"I just thank the Lord that she did well," she added