World and Olympic champion Veronica Campbell is coveting yet another precious title - 'Mrs.' Brown, coming off a successful IAAF World Champion-ships of Athletics where she won gold in the 100 metres and silver in both the 200 and 4x100 metres relay in Osaka, Japan, will marry fiancé and fellow Jamaican sprinter Omar Brown before year-end.
Campbell and Brown, both 25, live and train in the United States. Campbell said while she could not confirm published reports of public functions being planned to honour her achievements in Osaka, she was sure about her personal reason for making a trip to Jamaica soon.
"I will be going home sometime," she said on Wednesday, sounding relaxed and happy, "but it's gonna be for my wedding.
"This November," she confirmed when checked for details. "It will be in Jamaica."
Brown, the 200 metres gold medallist at the 2006 Common-wealth Games, did not compete at the World Championships, but assisted with Campbell's preparation while her regular coach completed a prison term. The groom-to-be did not fail his partner.
"That went well. Omar did very well," said Campbell, bursting into laughter. "He played a really good role as a coach at the World Championships ...He was very supportive. It was fun working with Omar."
EARLY TESTS
With so much at stake, she was glad the enjoyment came without unnecessary distractions. The Osaka preparations may have also provided a mock exam in teamwork and trust the young couple must learn to master.
"I know how to separate personal stuff from business," Campbell said. "So it was no problem at all. Whenever we're on the track it's just training, getting what you need to get done.
"So whatever suggestion (Omar) makes, I know that he knows what he is saying and I have to be respectful enough to look at him as a person who knows what he is telling me ...It was just all business and we had one goal in mind and we just worked towards it and that was great."
However, while the gold medallist in the 200 metres at the 2004 Athens Olympics said she is looking forward to her wedding, Campbell insisted the new union would not interrupt her drive to remain a major force in world athletics for a while yet. It is too soon to speculate about starting a family, she explained, as there is still unfinished business to take care of on the track.
"That's correct," said the former Vere Technical standout, who is winding down her 2007 season. "It's too early. I haven't started looking in that direction yet. I need to focus on my career right now with the Olympics coming up (in 2008) and the World Championships (2009).
"So, too early to even think about family," she added with a laugh.
Campbell is also standing by another man in her life - long-time coach Lance Brauman. The American, who also trains U.S. triple World Championships gold medallist Tyson Gay, has guided Campbell's career since her days at Barton County Community College.
Campbell said they speak by telephone almost every day, although not in person since she returned home, and the coach supplied her with written workout programmes while he was locked up. Despite Brauman's legal troubles, she said there is no reason for a split, at least not in the near future.
"As for now, I think I'll stick with the programme I've been doing for a while," she explained. "It's worked well for me and I think the best thing is to stick with what I know, what has worked well for me, not to try something new during the Olympic year."
Aawwww I knew omar from he was a teenager and we used to call him Limpy (short for olympian and also cause he walked with a limp) Awwwww got me all teary-eyed now