Gold-hunting Powell in race against time
EUGENE, Oregon: The clock is ticking for Asafa Powell, and not just when the world record holder runs 100 meters.
The Jamaican sprinter, although in the prime of his career with many more goals in mind, already knows how long he wants to stay in the sport.
"Until I'm 31, seven more years," the 24-year-old said in an interview.
"I don't want to run until I'm old like the athletes before," he said. "I don't want to run until I am 36. I want to retire on top, on top of my game."
There is no dispute where Powell currently ranks.
Asafa Powell |
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) male athlete of the year ran under 10 seconds an impressive 12 times and twice tied his world record of 9.77 seconds in an undefeated 2006 season.
And Powell, who begins his quest for the $1 million Golden League jackpot in Oslo today, believes this year, with the world championships, could be even better.
Commonwealth champion Powell is committed to running all six Golden League meetings at 100 meters.
The cash from the series will be good for the bank account but there is also gold Powell's mind - in the form of medals from the world championships and next year's Beijing Olympics.
Major title
"This year and the next are very special to me," Powell said.
"The world championships are this year. I need that. Next year are the Olympics. I need that."
For all his speed, the Jamaican has yet to win a major 100 meters title.
A false start eliminated him from the 2003 world championships quarter-finals and an injury kept him out of the event two years later. He placed fifth in the 2004 Olympic final.
The 2005 Helsinki worlds were especially disappointing since he had set the world record two months earlier in Athens.
"I thought I could have been a strong challenger if not the winner," Powell said, adding that he disagreed with those who thought he was not a big-meeting performer after his failure at the Olympics.
"I don't know why people are saying that because Athens was the first time I'm running four rounds (of the 100) in a big meet," Powell said.
Sprinting shape
The Jamaican appears to have started this season where he left off, clocking 9.97 for the 100 meters in Belgrade on May 29.
Slowed earlier by tendinitis in his knees, Powell believes he has begun to round into sprinting shape in recent weeks.
"I'm feeling pretty good. It's like nothing ever happened to me. I'm very strong right now and healthy," Powell said ominously.
He ran the 200m in 20.55 seconds for third in cool, misty weather at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene last Sunday.
Powell had anticipated going faster, but conditions, including a headwind, precluded that.
"Coach told me to take it easy, so that's what I did," Powell said after finishing behind American 200 meters specialists Xavier Carter and Wallace Spearmon.
"The next 200 meters is going to be a lot different. It was a little too cold so I didn't try to push it too hard."
When that next 200m will be Powell did not know but he is unlikely to double up at August's world championships in Osaka.
Powell's 100 metres world record and his subsequent performance's equalling it has brought him respect that was not present before, he said.
"I've gotten a lot more popular all over the world and a lot more respect.
"People have started looking to me as their role model," Powell said. "I am very happy with what I am seeing now."
But gold medals in Osaka and Beijing would make the scene even happier.
"I like being the world record holder, but having both (the record and world/Olympic gold) would be nice too."
Agencies
(China Daily 06/15/2007 page23)
