Posted: May 8, 2005

Athletics: Powell: Easing To His 9.84 'Cost Me The World Record'

By Bob Ramsak, Track Profile

(c) 2004 Track Profile all rights reserved TrackProfile.com

After his 9.84 win at the Jamaica International last night in Kingston --the fastest 100 meter performance in the world since Tim Montgomery’s 9.78 world record in 2002-- Asafa Powell was certainly pleased. And not only because he tied Canadians Donovan Bailey and Bruny Surin as the third-fastest sprinter ever, while lowering his own national record in the process. The 22-year-old Jamaican was content because he’s quite certain he can go much faster.

"In the last 15 meters I eased up," he said. "Yeah," he added with a faint laugh, "for sure that cost me the world record."

The decision to ease to the finish was not his, he said, but an order from coach Stephen Francis who "told me not to put on a world record performance." Powell estimated that had he not coasted through those final few meters, he would have stopped the clock in "9.75 or 9.76." Again, a slight, carefree laugh emerged when Powell explained that easing up, despite the possible consequences, wasn't a difficult thing to do. "I do what my coach tells me to do. He knows what I'm capable of doing." Apparently, a world record can wait. Another brief laugh confirms Powell's patience.

Whether speaking on the phone one-on-one, or to a large group after a race, Powell wraps chuckles and a wide smile around his replies. But his is not an arrogant laugh. It’s more of the laid back happy-go-lucky variety one would expect from someone who truly enjoys what he does. After winning eight of his nine 100 meter races last year to emerge as the season’s major sprint revelation, Powell is clearly enjoying himself.

"I was quite relaxed [last night], there wasn’t much pressure in the race," he said, adding that he wasn’t particularly surprised with his run, the fastest-ever in the month of May. "All week I’ve been saying I can run 9.8 or so. I’m in good shape, and I feel real good."

Powell readily admitted that his dash was far from perfect before he shut things down.

"My start wasn’t all that good. I had to catch a couple of guys." But by the halfway point, Powell said, "I felt real good. With my usual start, I think a big-time performance will happen."

After five straight wins last summer, several against extremely competitive fields, Powell arrived in Athens as a strong candidate for Olympic gold, only to finish fifth in 9.94 in perhaps the finest-ever 100 meter race. But the Athens final, along with his false start disqualification with Jon Drummond in the quarter-finals of the 2003 world championships, is something he doesn’t think about at all.

"Only when someone reminds me," he said, again chuckling.

He capped his season with three more 100 meter victories, including a personal best 9.87 at the Van Damme Memorial in Brussels, and took the sprint double at the World Athletics Final in Monte Carlo for good measure.

Powell noted that there is one major difference between the 2004 and 2005 models.

"I’m training a lot harder this year," he said, again smiling. With plans to contest up to a half dozen 200s this year, Francis, who has coached him since 2001, has added high intensity 300s and 400s to his charge’s training regimen. "I’ve never really trained for the 200 before." In Monte Carlo, he improved his best in the longer dash to 20.06.

Despite his quick second race of the year – he ran a wind-aided 10.08 at a low-key competition in Spanish Town, Jamaica one month ago, where he won by nearly half a second-- he doesn’t seem particularly concerned about running too fast too soon.

"I’m not worried. I wasn’t really training for this meet. This week I had lots of hard work outs."

Powell will contest the 200 next weekend in Dominica, and has a pair of 100 meter appearances coming up in the next month: June 4 at the Prefontaine Classic IAAF Grand Prix in Eugene, Oregon and at the Golden Spike IAAF Super Grand Prix in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 9.

Powell said it’s too early to decide whether he’ll attempt a sprint double at August’s world championships, but he is expecting an exciting season.

"I’m pretty confident right now," he said, again with a light-hearted laugh. "I can’t wait to see what the future offers."

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