LAUSANNE, Switzerland — Asafa Powell ran the fastest 100 meters in the world this year today, winning in 9.78 seconds at the Athletissima track meet.
Powell’s sprint was 0.01 faster than Tyson Gay of the United States, who turned in his time on June 4 in Florida. Powell’s time was aided by a tail wind.
“It was a fantastic race. I was very confident actually that I was going to run good,” the 28-year-old Powell said.
World record-holder Usain Bolt had a season best 9.91, set at the Rome Diamond League meet last month where Powell — the world record-holder from 2005-08 — was second. Powell’s previous best this season was 9.90 at the Jamaica championships last weekend.
The world championships in Daegu, South Korea, are two months away, and Powell hopes to get even better.
He said the race was “not really a message to anybody — it’s just for me”, but Powell will be looking to defeat Bolt, who broke Powell’s world mark in his breakthrough 2008 season.
Smiling broadly, Powell said he’s reaching his best form “slowly but surely.
“It will get better and better as the season goes on,” he said. “9.6 is in my range.” (AP)
