RACE TO 100 Powell nears sub-10 second milestone
Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell is aiming to complete a century of sub-10second 100- metre races this year, a milestone that would further extend his record. If a December 16,2017 newspaper interview is anything to go by, Powell hopes to reach the milestone at the Commonwealth Games in Australia this April. The star sprinter told an Australian newspaper that his training is geared to have him in top form at that time. Back now at the MVP Track Club with his coach Stephen Francis, Powell is approaching the season in optimistic fashion. “Last time I wanted to get sub-10 in Australia, but it was early in the season and it didn’t work out,” Powell said.
“This time around we’re actually training for the Commonwealth Games”, he explained. “We’re already preparing ourselves to be peaking then so it’s definitely a possibility that I will get it there.”
FEEL VERY STRONG
The report tabulated Powell’s sub-10 tally as 97 and noted that he won the Commonwealth Games 100-metre title in Australia in 2006. On that occasion, with the event held in March, he just missed sub-10 territory with his time of 10.03 seconds. With fast times rare so early in the season, the April staging of the Games may help the Jamaican in his quest.
Though he is now 35, he isn’t looking at the hourglass.
“I don’t remember my age,” Powell added. “I still feel very strong and I’m still doing the same things that I used to do at training when I was 25 years old.”
Notably, the man who preceded Powell as Commonwealth 100 champion in 2002 set records for speed and longevity. Now retired, Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis broke the 10 second barrier at age 39.
Perhaps with that in mind, Powell added that he might be around for a while.
“I’m just going to go until my body tells me that I can’t do it anymore and that could be two or three years time,” he was reported as saying.
The 2007 and 2009 World Championship bronze medallist is still energised about sprinting.
“The motivation is still there because people believe in me and I believe in myself and that’s all it takes.”
Powell’s collection of times under 10 seconds includes world records of 9.77 and 9.74 seconds.