Worlds Men’s 100m: Powell on the Inside Track

NEW YORK: Jamaican sprint dynamo Asafa Powell may be the Sisyphus of track and field, but nothing lasts forever. He looms large and dangerous as the 13th World Championships appears on the horizon.

Without a doubt, and based on current form, the finals should be replete with Jamaicans. But Asafa Powell should top them all.

The ace sprinter indeed bears striking comparison to the legendary mythical Greek king, Sisyphus, who was constantly forced to roll a huge boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down. And then he would have to start the unenviable process all over again. Powell, the crack sprinter from Spanish Town, is one of the most popular athletes on the international circuit, but popularity does not guarantee a championship gold medal. His build-up to past major championships gave hope that his time had arrived. But time and again, he watched as his adversaries stole the spotlight, and he had to await another opportunity, not unlike Sisyphus.

He will be competing in his fifth straight World Championships this summer, his seventh major championship, counting the last two Olympic Games. He has never won an individual gold medal, an occurrence that should be foremost on his mind. Track and field commentators have not been flattering. At a recent track and field meet in Monaco, Universal Sports analyst and former high jumper, Dwight Stones commented: “He should probably win the World Championships 100m gold medal. But Asafa Powell is such a head-case when he faces Usain Bolt.”

Head and Shoulders above Everyone

True, the ubiquitous Usain Bolt stands head and shoulders above everyone, and not only by his towering 6’5” tall frame. He won a combined six gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 Berlin Worlds – five of them in world record time. The all-conquering Bolt has not been at his immortal best this season, having just returned from injuries. In his last race he narrowly beat compatriot Nesta Carter in Monaco in 9.88secs.

The fearsome Yohan Blake with his untapped talent, the in-form Steve Mullings, whose peremptory strikes include a victory over the injured Tyson Gay and a personal best 9.80 recorded recently, will be at full strength. He is a former national 200m champion, and not to be taken lightly. If he gets to Daegu with mind, body and heart in sync – watch out. Blake is young and relatively inexperienced but that could be advantageous. He is not afraid to test his mettle, and boasts personal bests of 9.89 and 19.78 for 100m and 200m, respectively. He is still just 21 years old but his credentials are amazing; he is built for sprinting.

The US will be represented in Daegu by Nationals winner Walter Dix, with personal a best time of 9.88, former US champion Justin Gatlin and the debutant, Mike Rodgers. French find and record holder Christophe Lemaitre, Marc Burns and Richard Thompson of Trinidad, and the recently unretired 2003 champion Kim Collins, from St. Kitts/Nevis have not shown the type of form this season to merit serious consideration, or at least to contend for a podium finish.

Keen Battle for Bronze

The race will be between Jamaica and the US. Mullings and Blake should battle keenly for the bronze medal. Blake may provide a surprise. Bolt’s superior stride length will give him an advantage particularly toward the end of the race; expect him to turn on the afterburners and finish in a hurry. In a recent interview, he spoke of Powell’s bullet-like starts, which he craves.

This race will be won by the start that Bolt craves. I eschew any suggestion that Powell lacks mental toughness, an attribute necessary to perform optimally especially in championship races or in other defined competitive settings. He was astounding at the Jamaica Nationals in June. He is immensely capable, if he paces himself better in the early rounds and finishes stronger, he wins big. If he fails to win, he joins the list of outstanding sprinters with the dubious distinction of having never won either an individual Olympic or World title. This includes the late Herb McKenley, Americans Steve Williams, the fast-starting Houston McTear, Steve Riddick (former coach of Marion Jones), and former 100-yard world record holder Ivory Crockett, Cuban Silvio Leonard and Guyanese James Wren Gilkes.

Will this be Asafa Powell’s moment in the sun? I believe so. However, before you open the champagne bottles, a word of caution: he has to run from gun to tape like his professional life depends on it. And in many ways it does. Nonetheless, Sisyphus no more.