Jamaica's 100-metre world record holder Asafa Powell holds his injured groin after competing at the National Athletics Trials on June 25 at the National Stadium. - Ian Allen/Staff Photo
LONDON, (Reuters):
WORLD RECORD holder Asafa Powell's world championship hopes were dealt a big blow when he pulled up injured after just five strides in the 100 metres at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, yesterday.
Billed as a showdown between the Jamaican and Olympic champion, Justin Gatlin, Powell powered out of the blocks but then fell to the ground after appearing to aggravate an injury to his left groin.
American Gatlin, running in the next lane to Powell, won the race in 9.89 seconds.
DIFFERENT INJURY
The world championships in Helsinki start on August 6 and Powell may struggle to make it there.
"Asafa will have a scan tonight and based on that will receive treatment tomorrow," the sprinter's agent Paul Doyle said. "The picture is not good with the worlds only two weeks away. The injury appears to be a slight strain high on Asafa's groin. Perhaps a slightly different injury from the groin problem troubling him earlier this week."
Gatlin said: "It would be disappointing he might not be there but at the same time the show must go on."
"Knowing that the fastest man in the world was lining up with me pumped me up," he added.
"I saw in my peripheral vision Asafa go backwards but I didn't know he was injured. That made me hesitate a little but then I just went on to win and entertain."
"The time was good and I have no problems looking forward to the world championships now, it's going to be good, if not the best," the 23-year-old American pointed out.
Powell and Gatlin had been due to clash in Rome earlier this month but the 22-year-old Jamaican pulled out with a groin injury.
Gatlin was given the verdict over Powell in their only previous meeting this year, in Eugene, Oregon, even though both were timed at a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds.
Powell ran a world record 9.77 in the Athens Olympic stadium 10 days later on June 14. Both men had comfortably won their heats on Friday, with Gatlin's time of 10.01 a hundredth of a second faster than Powell's.
American Leonard Scott was second in 9.94 and world champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis finished third.
CAMPBELL, BOLT DEFEATED
American teenager Allyson Felix ended Olympic champion Veronica Campbell's five-year unbeaten run over 200 metres.
Felix, who finished second to the Jamaican in the Athens final and has not lost since, clocked 22.16 for the third fastest time in the world this year.
Campbell led on the bend but Felix, 19, came back on the home straight to overhaul her rival, whose last defeat at the distance was in March 2000.
Felix's American teammate LaTasha Colander was third.
Meanwhile, Usain Bolt was beaten in a high quality 200m race by American Wallace Spearmon, who posted 19.89 seconds.
Bolt, who clocked 19.99, the same time as American Tyson Gay, was awarded second. Danny McFarlane was also a second place finisher in the men's 400m hurdles. His time of 48.79 seconds placed him behind American Bershawn Jackson (47.98).
Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.66) finished third in the women's 100m hurdles with Lacena Golding-Clarke (12.71) and Delloreen Ennis-London (12.77) fourth and sixth respectively. Kirsten Bolm of Great Britain won in 12.59. Sanjay Ayre was fourth in the men's 400m in 45.37. Michael Blackwood (45.68) and Davian Clarke (45.90) finished sixth and eight, respectively.
Loraine Fenton (51.53) and Shericka Williams (52.88) were seventh and eighth in the women's event. Jamaican-born American Sanya Richards won the event in 50.35.
Germaine Mason was sixth in the men's high jump, this after clearing 2.19m.
