Jamaica look to upstage US on home turf

NEW YORK (AP):Several weeks after the Beijing Olympics, American sprinter Lauryn Williams was sitting in a hotel room in Shanghai reading through her mail. Every other letter, it seemed, was filled with anger and resentment.

It already had been a difficult 2008 for her, capped by a disastrous week in the Bird's Nest. Williams finished out of the medals in her signature 100 metres and a mix-up with teammate Torri Edwards in the 4x100 relay caused the baton to drop and knocked the American team from the event even before the finals.

Her forgettable week became memorable, though, when Williams answered a question about the US struggles by saying someone must have a "voodoo doll" - a comment some took as a backhanded swipe at the culture of Jamaica, which had dominated the sprints in Beijing.

took it the wrong way

"I was really hurt, I was really broken up because I didn't realise I made so many people angry about the statement that I made," Williams said on Thursday, two days before she'll line up against Jamaican star Veronica Campbell-Brown at the Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium.

"They asked me about why the American team was doing not so good and I just answered the question," Williams said. "I felt like the whole world hated me. The first time I saw Veronica after the race was Shanghai and I said, 'Are you angry, what's going on? Are the rest of them angry?' She said, 'Yeah, Lauryn, some of them took it the wrong way'."

Williams said the comment was meant in jest and apologised, but it has stoked a burgeoning rivalry between the Americans and Jamaicans.

Few will forget Usain Bolt effortlessly cruising to world records in the 100 and 200 and, along with wins by Shelly-Ann Fraser and Campbell-Brown, Jamaica's sprint sweep in Beijing.

That dominant showing led USA Track and Field boss Doug Logan to challenge Jamaica to a home-and-away series of races beginning next year.

series not necessary

Williams and several others have embraced the match races, while some have been critical.

"What happened at the Olympics and over the years wasn't a mistake," said Jamaica's Asafa Powell, the former 100-metre record holder. "Nothing was a mistake."

Tyson Gay, considered America's top sprinter, believes the series isn't necessary because most of the stars already meet in the many competitions during the season.

"Asafa Powell, he's been around," Gay said. "Veronica Campbell, Lauryn Williams, they've had their battles, you know. So I think the success of Jamaica at the Olympics shouldn't become a Jamaica-US rivalry because they had a great week - they deserve all the success."

Gay and Powell both plan to run at the Reebok GP, just not against each other.

Powell will headline the 100 while Gay makes his season debut in the 200. He'll face a field that includes Olympic 400 silver medallist Jeremy Wariner.

Among others competing are Ethiopian distance runner Tirunesh Dibaba, a double Olympic gold medallist, American distance star Bernard Lagat and US pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski, who captured silver in Beijing.