Powell

RALEIGH, North Carolina (CMC):

American sprint star Maurice Greene believes current world 100-metre record holder Asafa Powell is not invincible and vows to topple the big Jamaican from his pedestal as the world's best.

Greene, who held the previous world record at 9.79 seconds before Powell blazed 9.77 in June 2005 and repeated the identical time twice last year, believes Powell buckles under pressure.

The 32-year-old ex-Olympic and World Champion thinks Powell is good, but can be conquered.

"He's been doing a lot of good things. I respect his running ability," Greene told Reuters.

"He's probably the strongest one out there, but the thing about him is he runs very well when he's comfortable. He gets into trouble when he has people in the race who can run with him. That's when he has problems," Greene added.

Powell was among the favourites for gold at the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, but flopped in the final and finished fifth.

It was Powell's first appearance at a major event and his handlers chalked up that disappointment to inexperience.

Without much competition, Powell won his first international games title last March when he landed gold at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The 23-year-old Caribbean sprint ace tied his own world record with 9.77-second wins later in the year in England (June) and Zurich (August) and was named the world's male Athlete of the Year by the IAAF.

Olympic title in sights

But Greene bids to unseat Powell as the world's best this year and regain the Olympic title in Beijing before retiring.

"This year is going to be one of the best years I've had, and you'd better believe it. After I win the World Championships this year and win the Olympics next year, then I can truly walk away from the sport and say I gave it all I got," Greene said in the Reuters story.

"After 2008, I believe that will be my time to go," added Greene, who opened his season last weekend with a disappointing show at the Millrose Games.

He fell early in the men's 60-metre sprint and finished last as American Olympic 200-metre champion Shawn Crawford sped to victory in 6.56 seconds.