Shortly after hometown sprint hero Asafa Powell demolished his own 100m record, congratulations started to pour in from political leaders.

Outgoing Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, in a statement issued yesterday, said, "Your outstanding performance underpins the true Jamaican spirit, which is the ability to rebound after a major disappointment. The fact that you were able to bounce back after last month's World Championship defeat speaks volumes to your strength of character."

The Prime Minister also had words of encouragement for the star athlete who has failed to land a major gold medal at the World Championships or Olympics. "Continue to work hard, never give up, as one day soon you will get your rightful place in the sun."

Prime Minister-designate Bruce Golding also praised therepeat world record holder.

"The win," he said, "will go a long way to help Asafa erase the disappointment of his third-place finish at the recent World Championships ... and reinforce his belief that he is still the best and the world's fastest human being."