joint World 100m record holder Asafa Powell wins in Oslo (© Getty Images)
With the chase for the IAAF Golden League Jackpot resuming in Zurich tomorrow evening, several of the key players still in the hunt for a slice of the $1 million pie met with the media this afternoon. Confident and relaxed, here’s some of the things they had to say:
One race at a time for Powell
100 metre co-World record holder Asafa Powell is going for his fourth Golden League win of the season, and his 11th win in as many races this year. But this time he’s not promising any World records.
After equalling his mark of 9.77 in Gateshead in June, “I thought I’d be running 9.7s for the rest of the season,” he said. “but my body’s getting tired.” Nine sub-10 second performances do take their toll, Powell explained, adding with a laugh, “I’m kind of glad I don’t have nine more races to run this season.”
Despite his role as a strong favourite to sweep the six meeting series, Powell insisted, “I’m not focusing on the Golden Leagues. I’m focusing on each race one at a time.”
Despite distancing himself from World record talk, does he think, after spending some time in his familiar surroundings in Jamaica and away from competition, that he’s nonetheless in World record shape?
“I don’t know what world record shape is,” he said, smiling. “I just go out there and whenever it happens, it happens.” Elaborating, he said that there were two key components to running extremely fast. “I think once I get my body warmed up properly and get a good start, that’s all it takes.”
He did say too that he would like to make his final appearance at the old Letzigrund stadium a memorable one.
“It would be truly special to do something memorable in that stadium.”
Wariner - “I feel good”
With major continental championships missing from his schedule, another Jackpot contender taking the ‘R & R” route to Zurich was Jeremy Wariner, who, equally as dominant in his event as Powell has been in his, is also chasing his fourth GL victory.
“I’ve had three weeks off since London so my body’s been able to rest a little bit more,” said the 22-year-old, who sped to a 43.99 victory in London’s Crystal Palace late last month. “I’ve had two-and-a-half weeks of great training - strength training and conditioning that I had lost over the past month - and I’ve been able to rest my legs a little bit more, so I feel good.”
With three sub-44 second clockings this season, chasing his manager Michael Johnson’s seasonal tally of four is his chief goal for the rest of the season, and with four races left this season, the World and Olympic champion seems confident that he can manage the feat.
“I want to get out real good like I have the last couple races, take it out at my pace and let me set the pace like I have been. And work the 200 to 300 turn really well, and kick home and hopefully get under 44 again.”
Record ambitions for Richards
For Sanya Richards, also looking for Golden League win No. 4, her Zurich goal is much more clear: the U.S. record of 48.83 set by Valerie Brisco-Hooks in 1984, six months before Richards was born.
“I want that this year. That’s my goal actually for this meet,” said Richards, who returns to defend her Weltklasse title. Despite heavy rains, last year Richards became the youngest to ever dip under 49 seconds with her 48.92 victory. “This is my favorite place to run, so hopefully I’ll be ready for another good performance.”
After strong training sessions during her brief break, Richards believes that her goal is within reach.
“In my 49.05 race in London I was having really tight hip flexors and I didn’t plan on running that fast, so that proves I’m in really good shape.”
She’s also looking forward to facing World champion Tonique Williams-Darling and recently-minted European Champion Vanya Stambolova.
“I think when you have someone there will not only push you, it gets you in a different level with your adrenaline. So having Tonnique in this race, and Stabolova, who’s been running really fast, I think that’s going to bring me to the next lever of competitiveness. So I’m hoping that having them in this race will make it different.”
Dibaba cautiously optimistic on next showdown with Defar
Double World champion Tirunesh Dibaba, also with a perfect three-for-three record Golden League record this season, returns to action in the 5000 after her defeat to World record holder Meseret Defar at the African Championships.
“I know that Meseret trains real hard to win and I also do the same, so it’s a big rivalry,” she said. In Paris, Dibaba ran down her rival – whom she also describes as a friend – in marvelously close finish, but followed up in Rome with a more comfortable win. But she’s taking nothing for granted in Zurich, knowing her compatriot’s competitive ferocity.
“The race was good,” she said of the African Championships, “I had a very good run with Meseret but finally in the finish she got it.”
Bergqvist looking ahead
While she’s not in the jackpot picture, High Jump World champion Kajsa Bergqvist is eagerly looking forward to making amends following her admitted disappointed of not emerging victorious from the European Championships. Now, she’s simply looking ahead to the full slate of seven competitions she has left this season, beginning with Zurich.
“I take one competition at a time,” the Swede said, “and I have the same goal in every competition: To win and to jump as high as possible. That’s probably a boring answer,” she laughed, “but it’s true.”
Hers is perhaps the most competitive event on the programme, but it’s an opportunity she relishes. “It’s extremely good right now. It is good for all of us, although it’s a bit frustrating when you can’t win all the time. It’s good for everyone to have these really good competitions. But of course, I want to be on top.”
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
