Compatriot Powell believes he can once again be the fastest man in the world
Compatriot Powell believes he can once again be the fastest man in the worldFormer 100 metres world champion Asafa Powell is optimistic he can catch Usain Bolt despite his Jamaican compatriot's seemingly unstoppable form, Eurosport.com reported.
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Happyu00a0and Ambitious: Asafa Powell. PIC/AFP |
Powell finished third in last month's 100 metres world championships final in Berlin behind triple Olympic champion Bolt, who won with a remarkable world record of 9.58 seconds before adding the 200 title with another breathtaking mark.
"He really needs some strong competition. He's running 9.5s," Powell said after winning the 100 metres at the Rieti IAAF Grand Prix yesterday in 9.99.
Need to push myself
"We need to get there with him to really put on a good show. Before I was the man to beat. Now I have someone in front of me, so I really have to push myself to get back ahead of him.
"Definitely (we can both go faster). Anything is possible if you set your mind to it." Yesterday, Powell came in ahead of his compatriot Nesta Carter with Britain's Simeon Williamson third. The 26-year-old blamed windy conditions for what was a slow time by his standards on the track where in 2007 he set a world record of 9.74 the last at the distance before Bolt exploded on to the scene.
World and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser won the women's 100 ahead of Sherone Simpson, while Dwight Thomas and world champion Brigitte Foster-Hylton also led Jamaican one-twos in the men's 110 and women's 100 hurdles respectively.
Britain's Lisa Dobriskey took consolation for finishing second to Maryam Yusuf Jamal in the women's 1,500 in Berlin last month by beating Bahrain's double world champion despite her rival running across her line in the closing straight.
Kenya's David Rudisha clinched the men's 800 ahead of Alfred Kirwa Yego and South Africa's world champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi by running one minute 42.01, the fastest time so far this year.
