Former world record holder Asafa Powell equalled the second fastest time ever over 100 meters when he clocked 9.72 seconds at the Lausanne Grand Prix on Tuesday. The Jamaican, who finished a disappointing fifth in the Beijing Olympics final, equalled the mark set by compatriot Usain Bolt in New York City this year. Bolt reduced his own mark to 9.69 seconds in the Olympic final and also set a world record in the 200 meters. He was a member with Powell of the Jamaican quartet who set a world record in the 4x100 meters relay final. On Tuesday Bolt cruised to victory over the 200m in 19.63 seconds. Making the fastest start out of the blocks, Powell finished 0.2 of a second clear of Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix of the United States with Jamaica's Nesta Carter taking third place, a further 0.06 seconds back. Powell was on the podium receiving his prize and a long, loud ovation from the crowd of 14,000 while Bolt was preparing to run his race. The 22-year-old Jamaican blew past American Shawn Crawford, the Olympic silver medalist in the lane outside him, on the bend and drew clear before straightening up in his stride for the final 15 meters. Churandy Martin of the Netherlands Antilles was second in 20.24 and Wallace Spearmon of the United States third in 20.54. The first three crossed the line in the same places as in Beijing where Martin and Spearmon were both disqualified for running out of lane. Jamaica's sprinting dominance extended to the women. Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser confirmed Beijing form with a winning time of 11.03, three-hundredths ahead of her Jamaica teammate Kerron Stewart who had taken silver. Marshevet Hooker of the United States was third in 11.09. Delloreen Ennis-London, fifth in the 100 hurdles at Beijing, overturned that result with victory in 12.60, three-hundredths ahead of American gold medalist Dawn Harper. LoLo Jones of the US, who seemed sure to win the Olympic title before falling near the line, was fourth. American David Oliver clocked 13.02sec in the 110m hurdles to beat Cuba's Beijing champion Robles, who managed 13.17. Oliver, the bronze medalist from China, also beat Robles on June 1 in the first leg of the IAAF Golden League in Berlin. Robles, who had been hoping to improve on his 12.87sec world record, was on target to set a new mark at the race's midpoint but, as Oliver fought back, he lost his composure and even hit the 10th and final hurdle. “I had come to run fast,” said the Cuban afterwards. “But sometimes these things happen.” Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt was another American winner in the 400m, with a time of 43.98. Merritt's teammate in the gold medal-winning 4x400m quartet, Angelo Taylor, the 400m hurdles champion, was second in 44.38. Four Olympic champions were well beaten into fourth place. In the women's javelin, Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic lost out to Beijing silver medalist Mariya Abakumova. The Russian threw 66.09 meters. Portugal's Naide Gomes failed to reach the Olympic final but took the long jump honors with a leap of 6.77, as Brazil's Maurren Higa Maggi managed only 6.59. In the men's triple jump, a leap of 17.30 by Brazil's Jadel Gregorio was 40 centimeters better than gold medalist Nelson Evora of Portugal. In the 800 Wilfred Bungei was fourth behind fellow Kenyan Asbel Kiprop, the 19-year-old who had won bronze in the 1,500 in Beijing. The men's 1,500 was won by Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain, who ran 5th in the Olympic 800 final, in a personal best time of 3:32.83. Another Bahraini, this time a woman, Maryam Yusuf Jamal won the 1,500m in 3:59.84. Shannon Rowbury of the US was second (4:01.97) and Lisa Dobriskey of Britain third (4:05.18).
