Jamaica's Asafa Powell (right) winning the men's 100m final in 9.91 seconds ahead of second placed U.S. sprinter Maurice Greene (left) at the London Grand Prix international athletics meeting at Crystal Palace last night.
-Reuters
NATIONAL CHAMPION Asafa Powell established himself as the warm favourite for next month's Olympic men's 100 metres title with a sensational victory in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Crystal Palace in London last night.
In one big swoop Powell whipped 2000 Olympic champion, American Maurice Greene, and last year's world champion, Kim Colllins of St. Kitt's.
His winning time, 9.91 seconds, equalled the national record he set at last month's National Senior Championships. Greene who had promised to win the event in under 10 seconds clocked 9.97 for second while Collins was a disappointing fifth in 10.14. Jamaica also looks good for the Olympic sprint relay as Michael Frater clocked 10.11 for fourth behind American Leonard Scott who was third in 10.04.
BEAT THE FIELD
National female sprint champion Veronica Campbell also beat a good field in taking the women's 100m in 11.12. Last year's national champion Aleen Bailey was second in 11.15 ahead of Bahamian Debbie Ferguson, 11.19, and Jamaica's Sherone Simpson, 11.23. Lauryn Williams, the third-place finisher at the recent American Olympic trials, was fifth in 11.25.
Jamaica's Beverly McDonald was eighth in 11.55.
Commonwealth Games champion Michael Blackwood also tuned up for Athens with a good 44.74 for second in the men's 400 metres won by Grenadian star Alleyne Francique in 44.68. Davian Clarke, who failed to get among the top three during the Jamaican championships, was fifth in 45.48.
In the men's 400 metres hurdles the Jamaican pair of Danny McFarlane, 48.80, and Dean Griffiths, 49.39, were fourth and fifth respectively. Another Jamaican, Kemel Thompson, did not complete the event.
The 400m hurdles was won by Britain's Chris Rawlinson in 48.48 ahead of American champion James Carter, 48.63.
Ainsley Waugh copped third place in the men's 200 metres clocking 20.70 behind the British pair of Chris Lambert, 20.50, and Christian Malcolm, 20.51.
National women's 1,500 champion Mardrea Hyman was down the track in the middle-distance event. Hyman was tenth in 4:12.57 as Britain's Kelly Holmes won in 4:04.06.
In other events, 2000 Olympics silver medallist Hestrie Cloete of South Africa cleared 2.03 metres to win the women's high jump. Mozambique's Maria Mutola resumed her winning ways in the women's 800 metres clinching the event in 1:59.17 from Amina Hammou of Morocco, 1:59.34, and Canada's Diane Cummins, 2:00.28.
