KINGSTON, June 25 - Asafa Powell, co-holder of the 100m world record, put himself at the top of the 200m list this year with a time of 19.90sec at the Jamaican athletics championships.
Powell’s time equalled the world-leading time Wallace Spearmon ran at the US championships in Indianapolis on the same day.
Running out of lane seven, Powell got off to a comfortable start, but with the injury he sustained in his last 200m outing in May in Santo Domingo in the back of his mind, he opted to go easy on the curve.
On the straight, the Commonwealth Games 100m champion lengthened his stride and pulled away from a weak field.
The groin injury, I have to be watching it, so I could not run the curve hard,'' he said. I had to take it easy.’’
In beating Ricardo Williams (20.61) and Xavier Brown (20.66), Powell’s time was four-hundredths of a second outside 1976 Olympic gold medallist Donald Quarrie’s national record of 19.86sec.
I did not come here to break the national record. I just came to do my best,'' said Powell, who throttled back 10 metres from the line. It’s a bad habit, and I will soon get rid of it,’’ he said.
Powell’s training partner Sherone Simpson completed the women’s sprint double by winning the 200m in a world-leading 22.00 seconds, the fastest time since American Inger Miller ran 21.77 in August 1999.
Simpson, who beat her previous best of 22.14 seconds, clocked a world leading 10.82sec in winning the 100m.
Her time, the third fastest by any Jamaican, came as a surprise.
When I saw the replay I was really surprised, because in the last five metres I was very easy,'' she said. I am feeling good, and I just hope I can go to Europe (on Wednesday) and perform well.’’
THE JAMAICA “GLEANER” NEWSPAPER REPORT:
COMMONWEALTH GAMES champions Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson raced to world-leading times as the National Senior and Junior Track and Field Athletics Championships ended at the National Stadium last night.
Powell, who took his time on the corner, exploded in the straight before easing up at the end to win in personal best 19.90 seconds, the joint fastest time this year.
American Wallace Spearmon did the same time yesterday at the United States Championships.
Powell’s time was four-hundredth of a second outside Donald Quarrie’s national record of 19.86 seconds. He beat Ricardo Williams (20.61) and Xavier Brown (20.66).
“I did not come here to break the national record, I just came to do my best,” he said.
“The groin injury, I have to be watching it, so I can’t run the corner hard, so I had to take it easy,” he said.
Powell also eased up 10 metres from the line and he agreed that robbed him of the national record. “It’s a bad habit and I’ll soon get rid of it.”
He duly admitted it was not his best.
“It’s just another race and they haven’t seen my best yet,” he warned.
In the women’s event, Simpson, also secured her title in a personal best 22.00 seconds flat, the fourth fastest Jamaican woman ever over the distance.
Grenadian Hazel-Ann Regis (23.18) and Holmwood’s schoolgirl Schillonie Calvert (23.26) finished second and third respectively.
“When I saw the replay I was really surprised because in the last five metres I was very easy,” Simpson said.
“I am feeling good and I just hope I can go to Europe and perform well,” added Simpson, who won Saturday’s 100m in a world-leading and personal best 10.82.
In the 400m, Novlene Williams and Ricardo Chambers won their first national titles.
Chambers won the men’s event in 45.13 seconds ahead Jermaine Gonzales (45.49) and Sanjay Ayre (45.88).
“I am satisfied with the win,” Chambers said. “I think I would have run faster but I didn’t get out as hard as I usually do, but I am satisfied with what I did today.”
Gonzales, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, said: “The only disappointment is that I didn’t run faster. I was expecting to run faster but I am not disappointed that I lost because Ricardo Chambers is a good athlete and he is really running well, so that’s just the way it goes.”
In the women’s event, Novlene Williams won in 50.24 seconds ahead of last year’s champion Shericka Williams ( 50.57) and Sonita Sutherland (51.37).
“It was an excellent run, I can’t complain,” said Novlene. “When I reached the straight-away all I wanted was to come home strong, keep my form, keep my composure and that’s exactly what I did.”
Shericka, the dethroned champ, said: “I tightened up a bit, I did not relax and drive my hands as I should, but I know I will work on that for my next race.”
I love the rivalry between Gat and Powell, but I think Powell is going to explode this year. His acceleration is at an all time high and a 19.90 shows that SE is definately in place. I’ll be expecting big things from him because his mindset is very focused.
This year will be a year to remember. My predictions are 19.7(5-9) and 9.7(3-6). 