Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com

Powell to race in Stockholm Grand Prix

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

by: Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com

STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Jamaica's joint 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell, has agreed to run at this year's DN Galan - IAAF Super Grand Prix, in Stockholm on Tuesday July 25.

Powell, who suffered a groin injury in London and had to pull out of last year's meeting, is now fully fit and the organisers are excited about him agreeing to compete at the Stockholm Stadium.

"Like last year Powell is one of the athletes all promoters are trying to get, so it is nice that he wants to come to Stockholm," meet director Rajne Söderberg said in a release on Tuesday.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games champion from Melbourne, Australia, shares the world record of 9.77 seconds with American World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin and he's determined to prove he's the best sprinter in the world.

Gatlin equalled Powell's record at the IAAF Qatar Grand Prix in Doha in May, the Caribbean super-star matched that performance in Gateshead on June 11 and according Söderberg, Maurice Greene's seven-year-old stadium record of 9.87sec could very well be forgotten after the meet.

"Powell has run 9.77 twice and that is impressive," said Söderberg. "And Asafa makes no secret of the fact that he wants Maurice Greene's seven year old stadium record 9.87. It would be nice now that we celebrate our 40th anniversary," he added.

There are diamonds valued at 75 000 Swedish kronor ($10,400) given out for stadium records and if his performance at the Jamaica Championships a week ago in Kingston is any indication of his current form, Powell could easily walk away with that prize.

At his country's national championships at the national stadium last weekend, the 23-year-old equalled the fastest time in the world over 200m when he clocked 19.90sec to share the season's best performance with Wallace Spearmon.

Powell virtually cruised the first-half of the event before turning on the heat at the top of the homestretch, prior to easing down 10m before finish and he feels he can go even faster.

"It was not my best race and I slowed down with ten metres to go, so I know that I can run faster," Powell told reporters after his race last Sunday.

He improved his personal best from 20.06.

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