Canada's Anson Henry (right) watches as Jamaica's Asafa Powell, the current World Record holder for the 100m, steps into his lane during the men's 100m heat at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne yesterday. - REUTERS
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (AP)
ASAFA POWELL HAS a gold medal to go with his world record in the 100 metres.
He's lucky, though, that this bid for a major title didn't end in ruins.
Powell, the self-described "fastest man on earth," made a rookie mistake yesterday when he took an extended look at himself on a giant TV screen as he led his semi-final across the finishing line, and drifted into an adjoining lane.
Commonwealth Games officials gave him a reprieve, deciding that he did not impede Canada's Anson Henry in lane 5 when he transgressed from lane 6.
"It's all over now and I'm the gold medalist - it's great," said Powell, who had matching times of 10.03 seconds in the semi-final and final, well outside the world record 9.77 he set in Athens, Greece, last June.
Asked if he felt bad about the lane-crossing incident, the 23-year-old Powell replied: "No, why should I? I was way ahead."
Coming back from a groin problem that sidelined him for the 2005 World Championships, Powell said he didn't want to overextend himself in cool conditions.
In front of almost 80,000 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, he looked like he won in a canter.
"It feels real good, I can't get over it," he said. "I ran pretty easy and I got the gold medal."
Nigeria's Soji Fasuba took silver in 10.11 and Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago was third in 10.17.
Powell's win gave Jamaica a golden double in the 100s, with Sheri-Ann Brooks winning the women's dash in 11.19 from Geraldine Pillay of South Africa and Cameroon's Delphine Atangana.
There was no chance of a 1-2 Jamaican finish in the men's blue-ribbon event.
Powell's contentious semi-final had been chaotic from start. World championship silver medalist and Jamaican teammate Michael Frater and England's Mark Lewis-Francis were disqualified for false starts.
Regardless, Powell ended his gold medal drought and proved he can produce when it most counts. He'd been among the favourites at the Athens 2004 Olympics after running sub-10 in the earlier rounds, but finished fifth in the final.
He ran the fastest time ever in Melbourne: doing it twice in 2 1/2 hours with identical times in the semi-final and final and completing a golden double for Jamaica in the 100s.
Sheri-Ann Brooks won the women's 100 in 11.19 seconds.
Brooks was almost as dominant, finishing with a comfortable gap.
"I'm real proud of her ... a Jamaican double is great," said Powell.
Brooks, also 23, carried the national flag on a victory lap that lasted much longer than her post-race interviews.
"It felt good," was about all she said.
Despite owning the 100 world record, critics had accused Powell of choking in finals.
He ran a sub-10-second race in the 2004 Olympics at Athens and then finished fifth in the final.
He missed the world championships at Helsinki, Finland last August with a groin injury and was making his comeback in Melbourne to a major international competition.
Powell never looked like he hit full speed.
"Actually, I wanted to get it over with," said Powell, adding he didn't want to over-exert himself too early in his comeback. "Further on in the season, I'll try for the record."
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