Powell sprints to gold in Diamond League

Birmingham: Sprinter Asafa Powell continued his impressive form this season, winning the men`s 100 metres dash at the IAAF Diamond League meet here Sunday.

The 28-year-old Jamaican ran within himself to secure a victory in 9.91 seconds, enduring wet and chilly conditions to slam a field of six others. "It was so cold that I didn`t push too much at the start, but I am happy with this," said Powell. "I just wanted to make sure of victory. We all want to get the best start, but when there are false starts, it puts you in a different zone. I was only going to do enough to win [this race]. I didn`t want to push too hard. I just wanted to get the win." The final proved anti-climactic, marred by the disqualification of Norway`s Jaysuma Saidy Ndure for a false start, and another faulty start, plus the withdrawal of Michael Rodgers of the US who watched the race ruefully rubbing an injured right hamstring. Nesta Carter (9.93 secs) and Michael Frater (10.01) ensured a Jamaican sweep of the event. Powell, running with an eye on the World Championships in South Korea from August 27 to September 3, has clocked faster times this season, including 9.78 last week in Lausanne, Switzerland, dipping under 9.8 for the eighth time in his career. "At the Worlds I`m definitely going to win," he said. "I`m going for it, and I`ll try not to disappoint." Jamaicans Rosemarie Whyte and Novlene Williams-Mills were the only other two athletes from the English-speaking Caribbean to make the podium. They finished behind Amantle Montsho of Botswana in the women`s 400. Montsho clocked 50.20, and Whyte and Williams-Mills came through to take second and third places in 50.82 and 50.85 respectively. Jamaica-born American Sanya Richards-Ross, hoping to defend her World title this summer, could not cope with the pace in the final straight, and faded out of contention to fourth place in 51.11. IANS