LIKE a Marvel Comics super hero who appears in the hour of greatest need, Veronica Campbell pulled off a marvellous rescue act for Jamaica with her 100 metres victory in the women's finals at the World Athlete Championships in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday.

With a tremendous burst of speed, Campbell, a perennially slow starter, made a gigantic surge to sweep past a trio of Americans in the final strides and claim gold in 11.01 seconds, the same time as defending champion Lauryn Williams, in one of the closest finishes of the Championships' 24-year history.

Victory gave Jamaica its first gold of the Championships and its second medal of the meet, following the bronze earned by world record holder Asafa Powell barely 24 hours earlier in the final of the men's equivalent.

A tried and proven competitor who has won gold medals on every major world stage in track and field athletics from the World Youth Championships, World Youth Games through to the sport's five-star event - the Olympic Games - Veronica's victory was most uplifting, especially against the backdrop of Asafa's deflating loss and the effects of Hurricane Dean.

Just as encouraging were the sentiments echoed by Campbell, moments after an agonising wait for the photo-finish to declare her winner of the event. In an interview with this newspaper, the 25-year-old Campbell said: "This one was for everybody at home. I know the hurricane did some damage and I just want to tell everybody to keep their heads up as there is always hope."

It is the message that we, too, send to all Jamaicans who are suffering through the dislocation that came with the passage of Hurricane Dean, and the much-loved Asafa who admitted to a surrender following his surprisingly meek and uncharacteristic finish in the men's final.

Contrastingly, Campbell's determined fight was typical of her recoveryfrom injury last year and her struggle against the odds, even to the point where she was beaten at the National Championships and many started to doubt her capabilities. By the end of the 2006 season signs were beginning to emerge that she was on the improve.

Today, she stands as the only Jamaican to win individual gold medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships. In a country with great track and field icons - the Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint, George Rhoden, Les Laing, Don Quarrie, Merlene Ottey, et al ... this is no mean feat.

As our lawmen go to the polls today our hurrricane-battered nation is grappling with many issues. But there is a lot more work to be done, now and in the future, for us and our athletes who will face different challenges leading into the Olympics next year.

To Campbell, Powell and the rest who will continue striving for more success at this World Championships, we say good luck.