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What a flip-flop: enigmatic Powell again a world-beater
Len Johnson
September 11, 2007
Asafa Powell on his way to a 100 metres world record in Italy.
THERE is just one similarity between Asafa Powell of Jamaica and Russia. In Winston Churchill's memorable phrase about the latter, Powell is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma".
What else is there to say when, two weeks to the day after his self-confessed meltdown in the world championships final in Osaka, Powell goes out and breaks the world record for 100 metres?
In the picturesque central Italian town of Rieti on Sunday afternoon, Powell ran 9.74 seconds, 0.03 under the mark he had set himself in 2005 and twice equalled last year.
Powell ran that time in the heats of the 100 metres, coming back later to win the final by almost three metres from Saidy Ndure Jaysuma of Norway in 9.78 seconds. Warm weather, a following wind of 1.7 metres per second (just under the legal limit of 2mps) and a fast track propelled Powell to a performance that put his world championships third place behind American Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas in the shade.
Then, he led at 60 but tightened up when challenged by Gay, compounding that error by letting Atkins past as he failed to run the race out. He admitted he had panicked.
"Today, I proved to the world that Asafa is back," Powell said in Rieti. "I made some mistakes in Osaka but today I competed as I normally should do. I was nervous in Osaka because I did not compete much this season (before the championships). I forgot how I should have run in the last 40 metres.
"I will not say today was a revenge after Osaka. There, the expectations were too high. I thought too much about the world record, but I have done a lot of work in the last two weeks. I learnt again to run from the start and to be more relaxed.
"Today, I could have run under 9.70. I would have loved to have run 9.68. When I ran 9.77 twice last year, I always thought I could have run faster. If I had had a more favourable tailwind in the final, I could have run faster. The atmosphere was so special."
Powell picked up as soon as the relay, running a storming last leg to bring Jamaica from fifth place to a silver medal.
Nothing will redeem the failure of Osaka, but his new world record is restorative balm for any psychological wounds he may have been carrying.
"It is to remind my friends that Asafa is still here," Powell said.
He has done that, too.
Len Johnson
September 11, 2007
Asafa Powell on his way to a 100 metres world record in Italy.
THERE is just one similarity between Asafa Powell of Jamaica and Russia. In Winston Churchill's memorable phrase about the latter, Powell is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma".
What else is there to say when, two weeks to the day after his self-confessed meltdown in the world championships final in Osaka, Powell goes out and breaks the world record for 100 metres?
In the picturesque central Italian town of Rieti on Sunday afternoon, Powell ran 9.74 seconds, 0.03 under the mark he had set himself in 2005 and twice equalled last year.
Powell ran that time in the heats of the 100 metres, coming back later to win the final by almost three metres from Saidy Ndure Jaysuma of Norway in 9.78 seconds. Warm weather, a following wind of 1.7 metres per second (just under the legal limit of 2mps) and a fast track propelled Powell to a performance that put his world championships third place behind American Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas in the shade.
Then, he led at 60 but tightened up when challenged by Gay, compounding that error by letting Atkins past as he failed to run the race out. He admitted he had panicked.
"Today, I proved to the world that Asafa is back," Powell said in Rieti. "I made some mistakes in Osaka but today I competed as I normally should do. I was nervous in Osaka because I did not compete much this season (before the championships). I forgot how I should have run in the last 40 metres.
"I will not say today was a revenge after Osaka. There, the expectations were too high. I thought too much about the world record, but I have done a lot of work in the last two weeks. I learnt again to run from the start and to be more relaxed.
"Today, I could have run under 9.70. I would have loved to have run 9.68. When I ran 9.77 twice last year, I always thought I could have run faster. If I had had a more favourable tailwind in the final, I could have run faster. The atmosphere was so special."
Powell picked up as soon as the relay, running a storming last leg to bring Jamaica from fifth place to a silver medal.
Nothing will redeem the failure of Osaka, but his new world record is restorative balm for any psychological wounds he may have been carrying.
"It is to remind my friends that Asafa is still here," Powell said.
He has done that, too.