Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor
Left: Jamaica's Asafa Powell, the current World Record holder for the 100m, celebrates after the men's 100m final at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, yesterday. - REUTERS
Right: Sheri-ann Brooks running at the National Junior and Senior Athletic Championships at the National Stadium in June last year. Brooks won the women's 100m gold at the Common-wealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
MELBOURNE, Australia:
WORLD RECORD holder Asafa Powell was at his brilliant best in winning the men's 100m, while Sheri-Ann Brooks introduced herself to the world by taking the women's sprint gold on day two of track and field at the XVIII Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday.
On a night when the two sprinters shone before 76,000 spectators at the world-famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, Dorian Scott also grabbed a piece of spotlight by winning a silver medal in the men's shot put.
Brooks, a past student of Manchester High and G.C. Foster College, joined her idol Merlene Ottey as the only two Jamaican women to win the Commonwealth Games 100m gold medal.
"It feels awesome. I came here to win and I have finally got it," an overjoyed Brooks said.
She won in personal best 11.19 seconds from Geraldine Pillay of South Africa, second in 11.31, and Cameroon's Delphine Atangana, 11.39.
Powell had to overcome a very eventful semi-final to win gold.
MVP Track Club colleague and training partner Michael Frater was first disqualified for a second false start and England's Mark Lewis-Francis was also sent packing for false-starting.
Powell would not be denied, however, and he made the men's 100m a virtual no-contest.
With a broad smile, he dedicated the victory to Jamaica.
"It's good to know that I can do it again for my country. It's a very, very good feeling. I am really very excited and I know people will also be excited in Jamaica," Powell said.
The winning time was 10.03, the same time he did to win his semi-final.
GOOD START
Powell said his pre-race plan was to go out and take it from the front but Soji Fasuba of Nigeria, the eventual silver medallist in 10.11, got a good start.
"That guy is a great starter but I knew I had it from the start," the very confident Powell said.
Trinidad and Tobago"s Marc Burns took bronze in 10.17.
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson yesterday praised the athletes' golden success.
"I am extremely proud to learn of the outstanding performance of our athletes ... The coveted 100-metre double victory of world 100m record holder Asafa Powell and Sheri-Ann Brooks ... serves as a strong reminder that Jamaica is a leader in the field of athletics."
Only a centimetre separated Dorian Scott and gold medal winner Janus Robberts of South Africa in the men's shot put final. The winner threw 19.76 metres, with Scott second on 19.75m.
The 24-year-old Florida-based national record holder kept in medal contention throughout. He was second after his first throw, but fell to third following fouls on his second, third and fourth attempts.
Like javelin thrower Olivia McKoy the previous day, he made his best effort, 19.75m, on his sixth and final throw to overtake Australian Scott Martin for the silver.
Yesterday's sprint victories took Jamaica's medal tally at the Games to four, two gold, a silver and a bronze.
SHERRI-ANN: It feels awesome. I came here to win and I have finally got it.
ASAFA: It's good to know that I can do it again for my country.
