RIETI, Italy (AP) _ Now that sprinter Asafa Powell has lowered
his 100-metre world record, he wants the one big prize missing from
his collection _ an Olympic gold medal.
``Next year my only goal is the Olympics,'' the Jamaican said
Monday, a day after improving his time by three-hundredths of a
second to 9.74 at the Rieti Grand Prix. ``I plan to race many more
times before the Olympics than I did this year.''
Powell has a reputation for falling short in big races, having
never won gold at the Olympics or world championships.
He finished third behind American rivals Tyson Gay and Derrick
Atkins at the world championships in Osaka, Japan, last month. That
was his first medal in a major competition.
Powell was disqualified for a false start at the 2003 worlds,
finished fifth at the 2004 Athens Olympics and missed the 2005
worlds because of a groin injury.
``This record makes me happy but it doesn't cancel out the
bitterness from Osaka,'' he said.
Powell did not face Gay this year until the world meet and he
indicated that he would like to race against his rival more in the
run-up to the Beijing Games.
``I want to get used to the confrontation,'' he said.
Powell may not have to wait until next year. Both he and Gay are
entered for Friday's Golden League meet in Brussels, Belgium,
although Gay may run only the 200.
``Right now I'm only thinking about Brussels. I don't have any
other plans,'' Powell said before heading back to his in-season
training base in northern Italy. ``I have no problem racing against
Tyson Gay.''
Powell first set the world record of 9.77 in June 2005 in Athens,
Greece. Justin Gatlin matched the time in May 2006, but the American
faces a suspension of up to eight years following a positive doping
test for testosterone and other steroids at the Kansas Relays a
month earlier.
In June 2006, Powell again ran 9.77, and then did it a third time
in August 2006.
Powell set his latest record in the second of two heats Sunday,
and even eased at the end to save something for the final, which he
won in 9.78.
``This means that I can do even 9.68,'' he said. ``I'm worth that
time, I know it.''
The record was set with a strong tail wind, but it was below the
maximum allowed by the IAAF, making the record valid.
In the final, Powell won with no tail wind. Michael Frater of
Jamaica was second in 10.03, followed by Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of
Norway in 10.10.
``Today I ran like I should have done at the worlds,'' Powell
said. ``At Osaka I was too tense, I was thinking about the race and
the time I had to set. Instead here I was relaxed.''
