Monday, July 10, 2006

PARIS, France (AFP): Jamaica's Asafa Powell on Friday taunted sprint rival Justin Gatlin by claiming the American was trying to avoid racing against him.

Powell jointly holds the men's 100 metres world record time with Gatlin and the pair were scheduled to go head-to-head again at Monday's IAAF Super Grand Prix in Athens.

But the United States star, who shares the record time of 9.77 seconds with Powell, has withdrawn from the Greece event with a leg injury.

There are also doubts about a possible meeting in London on July 28 and Powell, who raced in the Paris leg of the IAAF Golden League on Saturday, is disappointed he won't have a chance to meet his main competitor.

He said: "I cannot tell you where and when I'm going to meet Justin Gatlin on the track, it seems he's avoiding me."

Powell believes he is ready to go as low as 9.6 seconds after last month equalling at Gateshead in England the world-best 9.77secs he clocked at Athens in July last year.

"I just have to run the perfect race," the 23-year-old said this week, aware that he will have to neutralise his tendency to wind down in the final metres.

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