Jamaica's former world 100 metres record holder, Asafa Powell, will be seeking to become only the second man in history to post more than 50 sub-10-second results when he runs at the Bislett Games in Norway today.

Maurice Greene of the United States tops the all-time list with 53.

"I was thinking about that earlier," Powell said. "I always had some good races here and I'm really looking forward to go on the track and post a good time. It's hot here, my kind of weather. I guess we perform better in warm weather."

Powell's opponent

Powell is down to face Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda, a training partner of world-record holder Usain Bolt and local hero Jaysuma Ndure. The Bislett meet is the second of six in the Golden League series and has attracted several other top Jamaican athletes.

Olympic silver medallist Kerron Stewart, who was also the runner-up at last weekend's National Senior Championships, will line up in the 100m against fellow Jamaicans Aleen Bailey and Sheri Ann Brooks. Stewart, who won the event in Berlin, has a season best of 10.93.

A Beijing rematch

In the women's 400 metres, there will be a Beijing rematch involving the three medallists - gold medal winner Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, Jamaica's Shericka Williams and bronze medallist Sanya Richards of the United States. Richards has the world-leading time of 49.57 and has always done well on the Grand Prix circuit.

The women's 100m hurdles will also be hot. Jamaicans Delloreen Ennis-London and Brigitte Foster-Hylton, one-two at the National Senior Championships, will compete against Damu Cherry of the United States and Olympic bronze medallist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep of Canada.

Meanwhile, Tirunesh Dibaba has pulled out of a highly anticipated duel against fellow Ethiopian Meseret Defar in the women's 5,000 metres.

After having avoided each other the past two years in the Golden League meet at Bislett Stadium, the two finally looked set to compete in the same race at one of athletics' most famous venues.

Dibaba out with injury

But Dibaba sustained a minor leg injury during training on Tuesday and, thus, will not make her long-awaited return to competition.

"I did a speed session on the track and felt a slight pain in my leg," Dibaba said on her website. "I hope it is nothing serious, but I did not want to risk my chances of successfully defending my world 10,000-metre title in Berlin next month."

Defar was disappointed when she heard the news.

"We could have run a very good race," Defar said Thursday night at the annual pre-meet Strawberry Party at Oslo's City Hall. "It will not happen now, but I still hope to run a good race. The 5,000-metre world record is a difficult one. I'll do my best tomorrow."

The 24-year-old Dibaba, who won both the 5,000 and 10,000-metre gold medals in last year's Olympics, finished second in her season debut race in New York six weeks ago.

Powell