Raymond Graham, Contributor

Asafa Powell from Jamaica celebrates after he won the 100 metres at the IAAF World Athletics Final in the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday.

FORMER 100 METRES world record holder Asafa Powell was Jamaica's top performer on yesterday's opening day of the VTB World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany, when he captured the men's 100m final in 9.88 seconds.

Powell made it three in a row at this venue and it was also a clean sweep of the medals for Jamaica as Powell's training partners Nesta Carter (10.07) and Michael Frater (10.10) finished second and third. It was a good race for Caribbean athletes as St Kitts' Kim Collins was fourth in 10.22 seconds, the same time as fifth-placed finisher Marc Burns from Trinidad and Tobago.

Four other Jamaicans - Danny McFarlane, Isa Phillips, Kerron Stewart and Delloreen Ennis-London - had top-three finishes yesterday.

veteran

Following his fourth-place finish in the 400m hurdles in Beijing, veteran McFarlane closed his season in fine style by taking the runners-up spot in his pet event as he recorded 49.00 seconds to finish behind the winner, Kerron Clement of the United States (US) (48.96).

Phillips (49.22) finished third for the bronze, while Olympic finalist Markino Buckley was fourth in 49.52.

Despite a poor start, Olympic finalist Ennis-London finished strongly, but had to settle for a close third in the women's 100m hurdles in 12.56 seconds, the same time given to second-place finisher Lolo Jones of the US.

Spain's Josephine Onyia made up for her disappointment in Beijing by taking the gold in 12.54. Jamaica's other com-petitor in the field, Brigitte Foster-Hylton had to settle for fifth place in 12.76.

Like she did at the Olympic Games, it was another third-place finish for Kerron Stewart in the women's 200m as she was upstaged by the US pair of Sanya Richards and Marshavet Hooker.

Richards, known for her 400m exploits, captured the half-lap event in 22.50, ahead of Hooker (22.69) and Stewart (22.72).

Jamaica's other competitor yesterday, Dorian Scott, had to settle for fifth in the men's shot put with a heave of 20.04m as Poland Tomasz Majewski took the gold with 20.88.

world-record throw

Yesterday's opening day of the two-day event was highlighted by a world-record throw of 72.28m in the women's javelin by Czech, Barbora Spotakava , the World and Olympic champion who used her opening throw to record the mark. In the process she picked up an additional $100,000 to go with her first prize of $30,000.

The meet will end today with several Jamaicans - including Melaine Walker, Sherika Williams, Novlene Williams, Kenia Sinclair, Shelly-Ann Fraser and Christopher Williams - down to compete.

Sanya Richards of the US (right) speeds to win the 200 metres competition against Kerron Stewart from Jamaica during the IAAF World Athletics Final at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday. - AP photos