Asafa Powell powers to 9.82 sec in cold of Szczecin, Poland (© Marek Biczyk)
Ostrava, Czech RepublicJamaican Asafa Powell will be headlining the 100m at the 49th Golden Spike in Ostrava on 27 May, organisers announced.
The former 100m World record holder and two-time World bronze medallist will be gunning for two marks when he returns to the eastern Czech city: his 9.85 performance set five years ago in cold and rainy conditions, and the wind-aided 9.77 meeting record set last year by World and Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
“So far training is going great, there haven't been any injuries,” said Powell, who is on the slate for this weekend’s U/Tech meet in Kingston. “We've been doing great thing in training.”
“My goals are to run a healthy season and to run faster than I ever have before.” Powell first broke the 100m World record in Athens in 2005, clocking 9.77. It was his first outing after his blistering run in Ostrava. “After running (9.85) in the rain and the cold, I was feeling pretty confident after that. “
After equaling his 9.77 mark twice more in 2006, he broke the record again, clocking 9.74 in 2007. He improved further still to 9.72 in 2008 to currently rank as the third fastest 100m runner in history.
Organisers have also arranged for an official split time to be recorded at the 100-yard point. The last IAAF World record to be ratified over the distance was the hand-timed 9.0 by Ivory Crockett in 1974 – the auto-timed World best stands at 9.21, set by American Charlie Green in 1967 – a performance well within Powell’s reach. Can he clock under nine seconds?
"I'll try, We'll see. I've probably done it many times before but it's never been recorded."
Jones-Ferrette vs. Simpson in women’s 100m
In the women’s 100m, World indoor 60m silver medallist Laverne Jones-Ferrette of the US Virgin Islands will square off against Jamaican Sherone Simpson, the reigning Olympic silver medallist over the distance. The pair will be aiming for the meeting record of 11.03 set by Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria during the same cold and rainy 2005 edition. There will also be an official 100-yard split taken in the women’s race.
The women’s 100m race is named to honour Jan Slanina, a former coach and one of the main meet organisers until his death in 2003.
Other athletes previously announced include Bolt, who will be making his debut over 300m; Olympic champion and World record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba in the 110m Hurdles; reigning World indoor and outdoor High Jump champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia; Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova in the Javelin Throw, and World indoor 3000m champion Bernard Lagat of the US in the 3000m.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
The former 100m World record holder and two-time World bronze medallist will be gunning for two marks when he returns to the eastern Czech city: his 9.85 performance set five years ago in cold and rainy conditions, and the wind-aided 9.77 meeting record set last year by World and Olympic champion Usain Bolt.
“So far training is going great, there haven't been any injuries,” said Powell, who is on the slate for this weekend’s U/Tech meet in Kingston. “We've been doing great thing in training.”
“My goals are to run a healthy season and to run faster than I ever have before.” Powell first broke the 100m World record in Athens in 2005, clocking 9.77. It was his first outing after his blistering run in Ostrava. “After running (9.85) in the rain and the cold, I was feeling pretty confident after that. “
After equaling his 9.77 mark twice more in 2006, he broke the record again, clocking 9.74 in 2007. He improved further still to 9.72 in 2008 to currently rank as the third fastest 100m runner in history.
Organisers have also arranged for an official split time to be recorded at the 100-yard point. The last IAAF World record to be ratified over the distance was the hand-timed 9.0 by Ivory Crockett in 1974 – the auto-timed World best stands at 9.21, set by American Charlie Green in 1967 – a performance well within Powell’s reach. Can he clock under nine seconds?
"I'll try, We'll see. I've probably done it many times before but it's never been recorded."
Jones-Ferrette vs. Simpson in women’s 100m
In the women’s 100m, World indoor 60m silver medallist Laverne Jones-Ferrette of the US Virgin Islands will square off against Jamaican Sherone Simpson, the reigning Olympic silver medallist over the distance. The pair will be aiming for the meeting record of 11.03 set by Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria during the same cold and rainy 2005 edition. There will also be an official 100-yard split taken in the women’s race.
The women’s 100m race is named to honour Jan Slanina, a former coach and one of the main meet organisers until his death in 2003.
Other athletes previously announced include Bolt, who will be making his debut over 300m; Olympic champion and World record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba in the 110m Hurdles; reigning World indoor and outdoor High Jump champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia; Olympic champion Barbora Spotakova in the Javelin Throw, and World indoor 3000m champion Bernard Lagat of the US in the 3000m.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
