Thrilling 200 between Campbell-Brown, Felix highlight Randalls Island track meet

Only a portion of a track and field meet is a study in pure velocity, but speed does continue to thrill the crowds at the annual Randalls Island event that repeatedly produces some memorable sprint races.

Saturday at the adidas Grand Prix meet at Icahn Stadium that featured more than 75 Olympians, including 33 Olympic or world champions from 42 countries, it was the women's 200 meters that most enthralled the capacity crowd of some 13,000.

Longtime rivals Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica and Allyson Felix of California made their latest contribution to the cult of the drag race.

Over almost before it started, with a blow-the-doors-off start by Campbell-Brown and a charging stretch run by Felix, the pair easily produced the two fastest 200 times in the world this year: Campbell-Brown, 21.98 seconds; Felix, 22.02.

"I know I have to get a good start because she's so strong at the end," Campbell-Brown said. "I'm excited. It was a good race against wonderful ladies."

Felix, certainly, was fully aware how quickly the end was coming. "If I can't get a good start," she said, "then it's a tough battle. Coming off the curve, I felt good, but I wasn't in good position."

Around them, the usual throwing and jumping and endurance work was unfolding, featuring a collection of international elite mixed in with some fresh new faces.

The winner of the boys mile, for instance, was 17-year-old Lukas Verzbicas, an Illinois high school senior whose primary sport has been the three-event triathlon but whose eagerness to get on with his outsized competitive dreams - the Olympics, Jim Ryun's high school records - have prompted him to attend summer school so he can graduate a year early.

Born in Lithuania of parents who both were professional track coaches, Verzbicas moved with his folks to the United States eight years ago and began serious competition at 11. He swims roughly 25,000 yards, bikes 120 miles and runs 40 miles per week. Saturday, he ran a hot 4:04.38. (Harborfields' Kelsey Margey finished third in the girls mile in 4:43.91.)

"At 1,000 [meters], I knew it wasn't going to be sub-4," he said. "Before I graduate, I promise I'll do that."

Meanwhile, he said he was studying the pros and saw world-leading performances in a handful of events: Kenya's Nancy Jebet Langat went 4:01.60 in the women's 1,500; France's Teddy Tamgho hit 58 feet, 11¾ inches in the men's triple jump; and American Lolo Jones won the women's 100 hurdles in 12.55.

In the men's 100, with both of the meet's star attractions - world record holder Usain Bolt and former world champ Tyson Gay - out because of injury, Richard Thompson of Trinidad & Tobago did his best in an understudy role, winning in a wind-aided 9.89. The newest Jamaican sprint contender, Yohan Blake, ran 9.91.

That race was almost as impressive as Campbell-Brown's delightful duel with Felix.

Campbell-Brown, twice the Olympic 200 champ, blasted from the blocks, appearing to leave Felix in her dust. But Felix, with a reaching stride, was right on Campbell-Brown's outside shoulder as they came off the final turn as if launched by catapult.

Campbell-Brown suddenly felt a cramp in her left leg, "but I just held on" for her third decision over Felix in nine showdowns at the distance, including runner-up finishes in the last two world championships. Felix shrugged. "I love racing Veronica, because races like this, she really pushes me."

Or, pulls.