KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC):
JAMAICA'S 100-METRE world record holder Asafa Powell is expecting a high-quality performance from the national sprint relay squad at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, next month.
At the 2002 Games in Manchester, England, Powell anchored the Jamaican unit to a close second behind Great Britain, both teams clocking 38.62 seconds.
Powell said, "Jamaica will be in pretty good form, but it is always good to have a challenge," referring to the expected competition from the reigning Olympic champions Great Britain and World Championships silver medal winners Trinidad and Tobago.
At the local Milo Relays in Jamaica earlier this month, the 23-year-old anchored a squad with World Championships 100-metre silver medallist Michael Frater, Ainsley Waugh and Winston Smith in 38.87 seconds.
Powell is also looking to his first appearance at the top level since a groin injury prematurely ended his 2005 campaign, just one month after his record breaking 9.77 seconds run in Athens.
Powell said he was "in good form", coming off a pair of 400-metre performances at home and a 4x400-metre leg at the Milo Relays, which he used to gauge his readiness for the March 15-26 Commonwealth Games.
"The 400s have been pretty good, and that's a really good test of my form," Powell said.
