Powell, the joint 100m world record holder with American Justin Gatlin, got out to a fast start to take sole control of the race at the midway mark, winning the race in 9.77 seconds.  He then said after the race, he could have gone faster.

"Based on today (Sunday), if I had known I was going that fast and run all the way to the line," Powell was quoted as telling Reuters after his victory run. "I could have run 9.75 or so."

The Jamaican admitted that he's stronger this year, which means he'll be running much faster, but said he wouldn't predict a time for him this season.

However, he's confident in running faster than 9.77sec this season.

"I am not going to put any limits on the season except to say I can go below 9.77."

Powell, described as "The Man" by British commentators after he raced across the finish line almost three tenths of a second ahead of his countryman and training partner Michael Frater, the World Championship silver medallist, at 10.06 and British sprinter Dwain Chambers (10.07), who made a successful come back, following a drugs suspension from the sport almost three years-ago.

Head-to-head match up getting warmer

The 23-year-old Powell and his rival Gatlin will meet head-to-head over 100m at the Norwich Union Grand Prix, at the Crystal Palace stadium in London. The meeting is the second of the two UK legs of the IAAF World Athletics Tour and according to Powell's agent Paul Doyle, said the clash between the world's two fastest men is shaping up.

"It's at least 50-50 right now and I think Asafa equalling the world record makes it much more likely," Doyle told Reuters. "We are working on a few things."

Campbell hurt

In the meantime, Olympic champion Veronica Campbell suffered a setback to her season when she pulled up injured and had to be helped off the track in Gateshead.

According to reports reaching Caribbean Net News, the Jamaican injured her leg in the early going of the race and was taken off the track in a wheelchair.

Jamaican-born sprinter Sanya Richards, who leads the world over 400m with a time of 49.82, won the race in 22.25.