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Click here to see the results...
Asafa Powell wrote his name in the record books, scorching 9.84 in the 100 metres at the second staging on the Jamaica International Invitational track and field meet Saturday, May 7 at the National Stadium in Kingston. The meet was a resounding success in only its second year. Most of Jamaica's stars shone brightly, but Powell, Olympic champions Veronica Campbell and World Junior record holder Usain Bolt brought the house down. Sherone Simpson, Danny McFarlane and Jamaica's emerging half-miler Kenia Sinclair must be added to the main cast, as they crushed worthy opposition with decent performances. Powell, 22, demonstrated immaculate form as he slipped away from a quality field to threaten the world record of 9.78 seconds. Easing up 10 metres before the finish line, he posted national record and world leading 9.84 seconds, breaking his old mark of 9.87 seconds set in 2004 at the National Championships. Jamaican Dwight Thomas (personal best 10.05) and Michael Frater (10.09) completed the top-three finishers. Powell has now become one of the five fastest men ever on the planet, bettered only by Americans Tim Montgomery (9.78) and Maurice Greene (9.79), and equalled by Canadians Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin (9.84). "Before the race I felt good and knew that I was going to run fast but I never knew it would be so fast... I also eased up at the end, but the next time I will go all out," said Powell. "I have a lot more improvements to make, I was not really training for this event. I was just doing some hard (early season background) training and I know there is a lot more room for improvement. I feel I can go 9:75 or thereabouts," the powerfully built sprinter declared. Five minutes earlier, his MVP teammate Sherone Simpson burst out of the starting blocks and held the lead - with Aleen Bailey and Lauryn Williams closing in - to top the women's equivalent in a world-leading 11.03 seconds. Bailey ran 11.07 seconds and Williams, the Olympic silver medallist, timed 11.08 seconds. "I am very happy, I feel good about the result. I was thinking before the start that I am going to do well. I am happy that I was able to come and execute and won, and I'm also very pleased with the time.
"Right now I'm confident and I'm happy and I feel that I'm ready for the world championships," Simpson said. When Jamaica's pride and joy, Veronica Campbell, came off the bend of the 200 metres ahead, it was all over. Going with her momentum, the Olympic champion wrapped up the race in a year-leading 22.53 seconds. "It's early in the season for me, so I'm happy because it was a good race. I am feeling okay physically, there are no bothers," said Campbell, who was flocked by hundreds of fans waiting in line to have her autograph. Eager to prove that he is back following last year's injury problems, Bolt took the initiative early in the men's 200 metres. The tall sprinter - more physically developed and with better muscle tone than a year ago - powered away from the field in the home straight. As he approached the finish line, the 18 year-old looked back before slowing down at the end to register 20.14 seconds. "I guess I quieted a few critics, but I have been over that, because I know how good I am. It was just injury, but I'm back now so things can only get better," Bolt said "I did not know I would have won so comfortably. In training I am not running to peak now, and I have the world championship soon. So I was just doing enough to win here," he added. Americans Leo Bookman (20.34) and Coby Miller (20.51) took the other top positions. Kenia Sinclair, a past student of St Jago High, showed her world-leading form when she made her move at the final curve of the 800 metres to win in 2 minutes 05 seconds, ahead of USA's Hazel Clarke (2:01.17) and Guyana's Marian Burnett. ".I was expecting to do the first lap in about 58 seconds, but it was about 60, so I just went ahead and ran according to how I felt. "I know I have the capability to go under 2 minutes consistently, but (yesterday) was just a misfortune with the pace, but it was an okay race," Sinclair said. Two minutes is the 'A" standard for the women's 800m at the World Championship. "I want to make improvements before the world championship, but right now I'm in superb shape and training is absolutely perfect, so you can look for good things," she said. Showing good hurdling technique early, Danny McFarlane got off to a strong start in the 400m hurdles but by the time he reached the half-way mark he had lost his form and was jumping over the hurdles. It didn't matter, as the Olympic silver medallist won in 49.01 seconds, ahead of USA's Rickey Harris (49.21) and defending champion LaBronze Garrett (49.55). James Beckford and Trecia Smith won the men's long jump and women's triple jump respectively, in 7.95 and 14.33 metres respectively. Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards took the 400 metres in a world-leading 49.96 seconds, beating countrywoman Monique Hennagan (50.83) and Jamaica's Lorraine Fenton (51.78). The latter was returning after a year's break due to injury. World Junior champion LaShawn Merritt of the USA ran a personal best and world-leading 44.66 seconds to take the men's equivalent, ahead of countryman Andrew Rock (44.75) and Jamaica's Sanjay Ayre (45.26). Canada's Perdita Felicien won the 100m hurdles in a world-leading 12.67 seconds, with Jamaicans Lacena Golding-Clarke (12.72) and Delloreen Ennis-London (12.78) trailing. Olympic champion Joanna Hayes hit the hurdle near the end to finish fifth (12.88). The Jamaica International Invitational featured 50 athletes from last year's Olympic Games in Athens, including 20 medallists and 12 other finalists. |
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