Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
World leading 100 metres sprinter Asafa Powell (left) is approached by a doping control officer after clocking an astonishing 9.84 seconds, a new national record, at the Jamaica International Invitational Track Meet at the National Stadium on Saturday night - IAN ALLEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
JAMAICA'S ASAFA Powell, the world's number one ranked 100-metre sprinter, has set his sights on lowering American Tim Montgomery's world record this season.
Since missing out on a medal in the 100m Olympic final in Athens last August, Powell has run faster and faster and he seems capable of toppling Montgomery's world mark of 9.78 seconds.
"I think I can run 9.75 seconds, or somewhere about there," Powell said after his astonishing time at last Saturday's Jamaica International Invitational Track Meet at the National Stadium.
RECORD TIE
Powell's 9.84 second-run equalled the North American, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) record, jointly held by Jamaican-born Donovan Bailey, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic gold medallist and Bruny Surin, both of whom represented Canada.
As for Saturday's race, Powell said he knew he would have run fast, but "I never know it was going to be that fast.
"I sort of eased up at the end ... next time I will go all the way," he told journalists.
"The guys ran pretty fast but maybe with a little more competition I would have ran faster," Powell went on to explain.
Powell, now the third fastest man ever behind Montgomery (9.78) and Maurice Greene (9.79), said he expects to improve.
"I have a lot more improvements to make because I wasn't really training for this event (Saturday's meet). I have a lot more room for improvement," he admitted.
When asked if he is peaking too early, Powell responded:
"No, I don't think so because this week (last week) I wasn't really preparing for this (fast time) because I have been doing a lot of hard training, hard work-outs."
CAMPBELL FEELING OK
Meanwhile, Veronica Campbell, who said her 22.53 clocking on Saturday night "was a good race", and also made it clear that "it's early in the season" and there is time to improve.
"I am feeling ok physically. The season is young, it's just May, we've got couple more months to go. Yes, there is room for improvement"
When asked if she will run sub-22 seconds this season, the modest Campbell, whose personal best is 22.05, said:
"Anything is possible. I'm not sure, anything is possible though."
