Asafa Powell wins his semi-final heat at the Jamaican Champs (© Anthony Foster)
Kingston, JamaicaWorld 100m record holder Asafa Powell battled to victory with what is feared to be a hamstring injury when taking the men's 100m title on Day Two of the Jamaica Track & Field Championships at the National Stadium yesterday (23).
Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell raced to a world leading time in the women’s 100m of 10.89 seconds.
Powell - Flat on his back and taken away for treatment
After encountering a brief delay at the start of the men’s 100m final, Asafa Powell, who got out fairly well, showed some discomfort midway the race and seemed even to come to a near halt twice within the first 60 metres.
The World Athlete of the Year persisted with his dash and crossed the line in 10.04 seconds (+1.0 m/s wind), but then immediately lay flat on his back for about three minutes. He was helped to his feet and briskly taken away for treatment, and at the time of writing no one could be found to say what had happened to Powell.
Clement Campbell (10.10) and Nesta Carter (10.11) were second and third respectively.
Michael Frater, the silver medallist at the last World Championships, had earlier dropped out at the semi-finals. Powell had qualified from that round with 10.20 (-1.8m/s) in the first heat but the fastest of the semi-finalists had been had been Carter in 10.17 (-0.3m/s).
Campbell – “superb”
Meanwhile, Campbell was impressive in the women's 100m event, winning in a world season leading 10.89 (+1.0m/s) ahead of Kerron Stewart who equalled her personal best of 11.03, and Commonwealth Games champion Sherry-Ann Brooks, who also ran a personal best of 11.05.
"It was superb, great females running," was how Campbell described the race and opponents. "I am totally happy," she said of the end result.
McFarlane and Walker - dominate
Olympic silver medallist Danny McFarlane and Melaine Walker respectively won the men's and women's 400m Hurdles.
McFarlane won his event in 48.52 ahead of Isa Phillips (49.23) and Markino Buckley (49.24), while Walker retained her title with a 54.98 seconds victory over World Junior champion and training partner Kaliese Spencer (55.62).
McFarlane was elated with the win, but added, “this race was about showing my dominance over this event in Jamaica.”
"The plan was just to execute the best way possible ... and as I always do, give all praises to the most high (God Almighty)"
As for Walker, she was happy. “The race was hard, this one was hard, I had to work hard to win,” she said. “I had to fight it to the end, but I believe that how a race should go,” added the two-time national champion. “I end up getting the win, and I am very happy about that.”
Smith opens well
World champion Trecia Smith won the women's Triple Jump with a leap of 14.35m (1.9m/s), ahead of Michelle Vaughn (13.41m).
Despite the win, Smith said there is still a lot of work to be done. “As an opener, it was not bad,” she said. She said she had learnt a lot from the performance. “I do have things to work on, problems with the technical side,” she continued.
Smith said she was concerned about the speed side of things, but was pleased with it in the end. “Its just the hap (hop) and step that I have to work on now,” she added.
Kenia Sinclair’s 4:19.93 won the women's 1500m, while Korene Hinds took the 3000m Steeplechase in 9:56.04. Zara Northover won the women's Shot Put with a throw of 16.08m.
On the junior side, World Youth gold medal prospect, Dexter Lee blazed to a 10.33 personal best in the boys' Under-18 final. Nickel Ashmeade was second in 10.39 seconds.
Jura Levy won the girls' section in 11.64, also a personal best for her, while World Junior 100m bronze medallist Carrie Russell finished fourth in 11.92.
In the Under-19 division, Samantha Henry won the girls' event in a personal best 11.21 seconds while Triston Taylor took the boys' title in 10.54.
Anthony Foster for the IAAF
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