Asafa Powell kicks out the rust at his season opener in Kingston, winning his 400m heat in 47.56 (© TrackAlerts.com)
Kingston, JamaicaFormer World 100m record holder Asafa Powell won his 400m heat in 47.56 which was only good enough for third at Saturday’s (20) UWI Invitational at the National Stadium.
The MVP Track Club star proved dangerous in the final 100m of the race, which he used to cut down the leaders. He was forced to keep up with the early pace of regular quartermilers Annsert White and former national champion over the distance Lanceford Spence. Yohan Blake was also off to a fast start, but none could stop Powell who sprinted away to win.
“I did what I went out there to do, run like a sprinter,” said Powell. “I could not run the entire race, so I had to run my event starts,” he added of his effort in the last quarter.
This was Powell's first solo appearance of the season, a week after running a 4x400m relay leg at the Milo Western Relays.
“It was a good run, I beat some good guys, so I am happy with what I did,” he said.
However, in the end, Powell’s time was only good enough for third behind Racers Track Club’s Jermaine Gonzales, winner of heat 3 in 46.37 and Michael Mason of G.C. Foster College (46.67).
Racers Track Club’s Rosemarie Whyte won the women’s event in a fast 52.19 ahead of Nadia Cunningham of MVP (53.92). Sherone Simpson, also of MVP, was third in 54.43.
Anneisha McLaughlin won the women’s collegiate 400m in 53.50, beating her UTech teammates Alecia Cutenar (55.01), Venecia Baker (56.24) and Carrie Russell (56.25).
World and Olympics 400m silver medallist, Shericka Williams, of MVP won the women’s Olympic Development 200m dash in 23.25 ahead of Schillonie Calvert of Racers (23.97).
The collegiate women’s 200m went to Stephanie McPherson of UTech in 23.63.
Anthony Foster for the IAAF