Asafa Powell wants to break his
100-metre world record. He thinks Tyson Gay can help him do it.
``He can push me a lot more,'' the Jamaican sprinter said Friday
on the eve of the two-day World Athletics Final in Stuttgart.
Powell is unbeaten this year in the 100, and puts the streak on
the line Saturday in a field that includes top American runner Gay.
``He's finishing very strongly and if I get careless he'll get me
at the finish,'' Powell said.
Hurdler Perdita Felicien of Pickering, Ont., and Carmen
Douma-Hussar, who will race the 1,500 metres, are the Canadians in
the field this weekend.
Gay said he needs a great start out of the blocks to have a
chance against Powell.
``To beat Asafa Powell, I need to have more confidence in my race
and focus on the first 50 meters,'' he said.
The men's sprint has been tainted by the positive test of Olympic
and world champion Justin Gatlin, who faces a ban of up to eight
years.
Gatlin is likely to lose his share of the world record of 9.77
seconds he holds with Powell.
But Powell wants to go faster after twice running 9.77 this year.
``Before, I wasn't training seriously but this year I am working
hard,'' he said. ``I've set a big goal for myself and that's where I
am going.''
Powell saw a Munich doctor after feeling a ``bit sore'' following
his win at the Berlin ISTAF meet on Sunday, but said he's fine now.
The Jamaican came close to losing in Brussels last month when he
got off to a terrible start out of the blocks. But he caught up with
the field and still won in under 10 seconds (9.99).
``It gave me a big boost,'' he said. ``I can lose a couple of
metres and still come back and beat them.''
Powell has run twice against Gay at Golden League meets this
season, winning both times. Their last meeting was in Berlin, the
final of the six-event series.
By winning all six races through the season, Powell was one of
three athletes who earned US$250,000. To collect the bonus, Powell
had to show up in Stuttgart.
The US$3 million (C2.4 million) weekend purse will reward anyone
setting a world record with US$130,000 (C102,000). Victory alone
will earn US$30,000 (C23,500). Organizers say they are still on
course to attract 60,000 spectators at the Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium,
which has taken over from Monaco as competition host.
