By Gary Smith
Caribbean Net News Sports Correspondent
Email: gary@caribbeannetnews.com
OSLO, Norway: Asafa Powell, a man who seems to do whatever he wants whenever he steps on the track, made a successful start to the IAAF 2007 Golden League season by winning the men’s 100m in the second fastest time in the world this year at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games on Friday.
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100m world record holder,
Asafa Powell. AFP PHOTO |
In front of a packed stadium in Oslo, Powell raced home in a season’s best of 9.94 seconds, to beat a strong field and showed the athletics public that he is definitely rounding into shape again.
"It was just as I wanted. The start was good and that was important," the world record holder said after his easy run in the Norwegian capitol.
"I’m just where I was last year, and I was little bit quicker than in my first race. Sub-10 seconds is always good.
"My next race is at the Jamaican Championships, but I will only run a 100m there. The start of the series was good for me, but I still have five more races," he added.
Following the World record holder home was Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, also in a seasonal best of 10.06, while British in-form sprinter Marlon Devonish came in third in a personal best 10.08.
Earlier in the evening the Englishman who replaced Jamaica’s reigning World silver medallist Michael Frater at the last minute won the men’s B-race in 10.20.
Trinidadians Marc Burns (10.26) and Darrel Brown (10.28) finished fifth and sixth respectively.
The women’s 100m ended prematurely for Jamaica’s 2006 world fastest woman Sherone Simpson, who sustained an injury towards the end of the race and finished last in 11.64.
American Stephanie Durst won the race in 11.22 ahead of Sheri-Ann Brooks, at 11.23 and Cayman Islands’ Cydonie Mothersill (11.25).
US Virgin Islands top female sprinter Laverne Jones clocked a seasonal best of 11.32 to win the B-race.
"It was a good test of my speed. I am satisfied, for a steeple runner it’s not bad. My goal is to qualify for Osaka and run sub-8 minutes," Jones said.
"I know it is not an easy one, but in Kenya the steeple [competition] is always very tough."
Another of the leading contenders for the $1 Million Dollar Jackpot prize, Sanya Richards, the Jamaican-born American dominated the women’s 400m to win in 50.26.
Finishing behind the 2007 Athlete-of-the-Year were Senegal Mbacke Amy Thiam (51.22) and Jamaican Shericka Williams (51.32). Bahamian Christine Amertil finished fifth with a time of 52.02.
Last year Richards won a share of the $1 million dollar jackpot and she is delighted to have gotten off to an important winning start.
"One down, still five to go," she said in reference to next five meeting in which she must win at.
"But I have a better feeling than after my first race in Eugene, [OR]. The beginning is always tough. This time it was better in all parts of the race. Yes, I still want to double at US Nationals."
Another fantastic run came from Jamaican Korene Hinds, who ran a personal best of nine minutes 28.86 to finish third in women’s 3000 metres steeplechase behind the Kenya’s Eunice Jepkorir, who ran a fantastic race to win the in 9:19.44, which was meet record.
Another Jamaican in the event, Mardrea Hyman finished seventh in season’s best of 9:37.50.
In the women’s 100m Hurdles, World Championships silver medallist Delloreen Ellis-London of Jamaica took third place with a season’s best of 12.78.
American world champion Michelle Perry won the race in 12.70. Sweden’s Susanna Kallur was second in 12.76.
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