Asafa Powell has dampened rumours that he will attempt a 100m-200m sprint double at the World Championships in Osaka later in the year.
The rumours that the 2006 athlete of the year were stoked when his coach, Stephen Francis, suggested Powell always trained for both events and was considering attempting the 200m at a couple of meets in the lead up to Osaka.
But Powell has said he has no intention of attempting the double but instead plans to concentrate on the 100m and the 4x100m relay.
“I do not intend to do the double in Osaka,” Powell was quoted as saying in L’Equipe.
“I plan to do the 100m and the 4x100m relay. I do not like [the 200m] much. I know that my coach and my agent want me to do it. But the 200m will be very hard because there are a number of guys who can go under 20 seconds. It will be a very open race.”
But Francis is not yet ready to dismiss the chance of the Jamaican competing in both events in Japan.
“It really is a trick which he can explore,” Francis said.
“The double is a challenge. Personally I do not think the elite are judged by gold medals … I believe that the athletes must be ready to perform at any moment.”