Veronica Campbell-Brown – The Rio Possibles

By winning sprint and relay gold medals at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB) would set several Olympic records and bests, as she has already won 7 Olympic medals between 2000-12. She will run the 200 metres and likely the 4×100 relay in Rio. Gold in the 200 is a longshot, although she won that gold medal in 2004 and 2008, but she could win a medal. The Jamaican 4×100 relay team will likely be favored in Rio. The following details which records VCB may achieve in Rio.

If She Wins a Medal in Rio, VCB Will …

  • Become the first woman to win 8 Olympic medals in Olympic track and field. She currently shares the record of 7 with Shirley Strickland de la Hunty (AUS / 1948-56) and Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein (POL / 1964-76). Of note, Allyson Felix (USA) will compete in Rio and has 6 medals and could also move up to 8 Olympic medals., as could VCB’s teammate, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
  • If she wins a medal in the 200, move to =3rd for the most individual medals won in Olympic track & field by a woman, with 5. The record is 6, held by Irena Szewińska-Kirszenstein (POL / 1964-76) and Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA / 1984-92), while 4 women have won 5 individual track & field medals: Shirley Strickland de la Hunty (AUS / 1948-56); Heike Drechsler-Daute (GDR/GER / 1988/92/2000); Tatyana Lebedeva (RUS / 2000-08); and Tirunesh Dibaba (ETH / 2004-12)

If She Wins a Gold Medal in Rio, VCB Will …

  • Equal the record for most gold medals in Olympic athletics by a women, with 4. Six women have previously won 4 Olympic athletics gold medals, as follows: Fanny Blankers-Koen (NED / 1948); Betty Cuthbert (AUS / 1956/64); Barbel Eckert-Wöckel (GDR / 1976-80); Evelyn Ashford (USA / 1984-92); Sanya Richards-Ross (USA / 2004-12); and Allyson Felix (USA / 2004-12). It should be noted that Felix will compete in the 400 metres and 4×400 relay in Rio, and could extend that record.