Sport

Collins predicts Carib sweep

Jamaican sprinter Michael Frater (left) shows off his World Championships silver medal at the 100m award ceremony in Helsinki yesterday. Beside him are gold medallist Justin Gatlin of the United States (centre) and bronze medallist Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis. - reuters

helsinki, finland, cmc

ST KITTS AND Nevis sprinter Kim Collins believes a Caribbean medal sweep of the men's 100 metres at a major championship could occur soon.

Collins followed up his 100-metre world title in Paris two years ago by securing bronze in the event on Sunday at the 10th IAAF World Championship behind American Justin Gatlin and Jamaican Michael Frater, the second time in as many championships that Caribbean athletes claimed two of the three men's 100-metre medals.

The Caribbean's gold medal hopes in Sunday's event were dented by the non-appearance of Jamaica's world record holder Asafa Powell, who withdrew from the meet with a groin injury.

Trinidad and Tobago's Darrel Brown - as silver medallist - joined Collins on the medal stand in 2003 and the 29-year-old Kittitian hero told CMC Sport that if Powell had raced in Helsinki, they could have completed a Caribbean sweep of the medals.

Sprinting force

"The Caribbean has continued to demonstrate that we are a force to be reckoned with. The Caribbean sweep is coming, if Asafa was here possibly we would have done it," Collins said.

Collins had a slow start to this season with his best only coming two weeks prior to the World championships, clocking 10 seconds flat at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in London.

In the early rounds, Collins' indifferent form resurfaced as he was one of the slowest qualifiers in the quarterfinals, but he managed to regain his championship form when he made the final.

He believes although he was not favoured to medal, once he made the last eight anything was possible.

"A lot of people didn't think I could do it but once I am in the finals I will always have a great shot of a medal."

With Sunday's bronze, Collins has taken his World Championships medal tally to three and he believes that if anyone can defeat American double crown champion Justin Gatlin it would have been Powell.

Powell for the gold

Collins, who won a 200-metre bronze at the 2001 World Championship in Canada, said that if the 22-year-old Jamaican wasn't injured, he could have beaten Gatlin.

"I really think that he (Powell) would have been the man to win the gold, if anybody was to upset Justin (Gatlin) it would have been Asafa Powell."

When Collins leaves Helsinki, the Glen Mills coached sprinter still has some more appearances on his agenda for the remainder of the 2005 campaign.

"There are a few more grand prix races and finals left," he said.