Asafa Powell Biography, on a sponsor’s website
On June 14, 2005 Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell sped away with the world 100-meter record at the Super Grand Prix in Athens, Greece, clocking in at a blistering 9.77 seconds – one-hundredth of a second off the previous 100-meter record.
That day, Asafa Powell officially became the fastest man in the world.
What does it take to accomplish this feat? It takes guts, determination, a strict training regimen, and the support of family and friends. Asafa also has a pleasant “nice-guy” attitude – on the track and off – unlike many of today’s cocky, brash sprinters. He also has a tremendous belief in himself – and an even greater belief in God.
Asafa’s humble beginnings in the quiet, rural settlement of Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica, were a precursor to his amazing achievements on the track.
Growing up, Asafa was the product of a strict upbringing. His parents, the Reverends William and Cislyn Powell, didn’t allow their children to go to dances and shows. Discipline wasn’t an occasional thing – it happened every day, and it helped shape Asafa and his five older brothers.
The Powells have experienced their share of tragedy and suffering. Brother Michael was murdered in a cab in New York City. Another brother, Vaughn, collapsed and died on a football field in Georgia. Reverend Powell himself was shot in the jaw during a robbery attempt. But the family’s close bond and devout belief in God have kept them going even in times of great adversity and sadness.
While attending Charlemount High School, Asafa virtually ran past fellow runners in 100-, 200-, and 400-meter races. “My teacher, Mrs. Frazier, told me I could be a runner,” says Asafa. “Before that, I thought you could only be a footballer. The only thing I knew about running was that I could beat everyone – even the bigger boys.” While in high school, Asafa wrote his goal in his yearbook: To break the world record.
Out of respect for his parents, Asafa chose to attend a university in nearby Kingston, Jamaica – turning down offers from American universities. He lives and trains there, attending church every week, and staying in close contact with his parents, as well as surviving brothers Donovan (a former Olympian, Asafa’s role model and manager), Nigel, and Ricardo.
It’s easy to assume that the fastest man in the world would rely on a wide variety of special supplements to stay energetic and train hard. The fact is, before April 2005, Asafa had never taken any type of vitamin. “Taking Nutrilite™ Double X™ was the only change I made to how I had been training. After I started taking it, I felt I had more energy to train harder and run faster.”
He adds, “I am very careful about what I consume so I appreciate the balanced vitamin and mineral content plus the rich, plant-based concentrates in Double X.” 
:rolleyes:
That year, in May at the Jamaica International Invitational, he clocked 9.84 seconds – at the time, the fastest time in the world that year. A month later, he delivered a similar performance in the Czech Republic, with a time of 9.85 seconds.
Three months after adding Double X to his daily regimen, Asafa broke the world record, running 100 meters in just 9.77 seconds – in the very stadium in Athens where he finished a disappointing fifth in the 2004 Olympics.
His reaction to breaking the world record? Typical Asafa. No crowd-pleasing antics or boasting. The polite, shy, deeply religious young man merely laughed and smiled – even during the few minutes it took for his world record time to be confirmed on the scoreboard.
“When I run, I don’t think about my competition,” says the world record holder. “I just do what I have to do. Nutrilite doesn’t consider the competition in what they do, they just focus on being the best in their field.”
The name “Asafa” means “rising to the occasion”. How appropriate, then, that we will undoubtedly see the name Asafa Powell in the sports records for many years to come. After all, Asafa will only be 25 at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 – a relatively young athlete in the highly competitive world of track stars.
Asafa’s story is one of setting and achieving goals. Nutrilite is proud to be the sponsor of the fastest man in the world, a world where Nutrilite, the leading global brand of vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements, always belongs.
