Back  |  Home

For the second time in two months, Asafa Powell, has equaled the world 100m mark of 9.77 seconds.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
 

Another 9.77 run from Asaf

This was achieved at the Zurich Grand Prix on August 18 in Switzerland, the third time he was running that fast.

All the performances have something in common. All came under under European conditions, the first in Athens (June 14 2005), Gateshead (June 11) and the latest, last week in Zurich (August 18).

He is the first man to run a world record three times, and he was quick to point it out to the world, hinting he is the best.

"I'm the only one who has ever run 9.77 three times. I ran a world record three times," he told journalists after the race.

However, at least one question begs itself, does the buck stops there.

"If I'm going to continue to run 9.77 for the rest of career it's not a bother to me," he said  He, however, added: "One way or the other, there will come a time when I run under 9.77," he said.

Powell led from start to finish and was followed by two Americans - Tyson Gay in a personal best of 9.84 and Leonard Scott in his season-best 9.97.

"I knew I had something special, but I didn't know so fast," Powell said.

POOR START DENIED POWELL ANOTHER RECORD

In his last Golden League outing, in Brussels, Powell recovered from one of the worst starts in his career to win the 100 meters in 9.99 seconds at the Van Damme Memorial Meet.

After the race, Powell blamed the starter for the poor start, which he said cost him a world record.

"I wasn't even ready in the blocks. I just heard set and boom," an angry Powell said.

While his opening 10 meters were slow, Powell said the last 90 may have been his best ever.

"I was feeling good, I felt like I was going to run a world record," Powell said. "Maybe that was the fastest I have ever run over the last 90 meters."

The win kept Powell, along with four others in line for a share of the US$1M Golden League jackpot.

Also in contention are Jeremy Wariner (400m), Tirunesh Dibaba (women's 5 000) and Sanya Richards (women's 400).

Powell has already this season ran 9.95 (May 6), 9.93 (May 28), 9.96 (Jun 2), 9.98 (June 2), 9.77 (June 11), 9.85 (July 8), 9.85 (July 14), 9.86 (July 25), 9.91 (July 28), 9.77 (August 18), 9.99 (August 28), a record for the most sub-10 clockings in a single season.