Jamaica's Asafa Powell recovered from a poor start to take the plaudits in the men's 100m at the opening Diamond League meet in steamy Qatar Friday. The former world record holder, who will face Olympic and world champion Usain Bolt and American rival Tyson Gay later in the season on the 14-meet circuit, won in 9.81 seconds. Powell's compatriot Nesta Carter was second in 9.88 with American Travis Padgett finishing third in 9.92 seconds. Powell had run 9.75 in his semifinal heat, which would have been a world leading time if it had not been wind-assisted. Michael Frater, the third member of Jamaica's triumphant Olympic 4x100 team, ran 9.94 behind Padgett who won here last year. Bolt had led the gold medal-winning team in Beijing. “What happened tonight was pretty exciting, a real fight with so many guys running under 10 seconds,” said Powell. The Diamond League has replaced the Golden League as the governing IAAF's top non-championship event. A diamond-studded trophy awaits all 32 season leaders in the various events. Powell and others got a boost from the warm Arabian Gulf wind at the sprinters' backs. “Normally the wind doesn't help me that much. I don't really focus on the wind,” he said. The winners of each event earn four points with two points for second place and one for finishing third. American Allyson Felix won the women's 400m in 50.15 seconds ahead of Amantle Montsho of Botswana (50.34) with Britain's Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu back in fifth. Felix, a three-time world 200 champion, has won the 400m in Doha three times in the last four years and is considering adding the longer distance to her world and Olympic schedules. Jamaican Kerron Stewart, also helped by the wind, won the women's 200m in 22.34 seconds ahead of compatriot Sherone Simpson (22.64). Cydie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands was third. American Lolo Jones took the women's 100m hurdles in 12.63 seconds, despite hitting the first two barriers, finishing ahead of Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (12.67). Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson gave an impressive performance in the men's 400 hurdles, winning in 48.66 seconds ahead of fellow American Kerron Clement (48.82). Beijing gold medalist Taylor was fourth in 49.66. Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put with a season best throw of 21.82, which also was a stadium record. Several leading athletes were absent from the first meet of a series in which total prize money for the 14 meetings will top $6.6 million with millions more on offer in promotional fees. Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele, the world's dominant distance runner, and American Sanya Richards-Ross, the 400m world champion, are injured while Russian Olympic pole vault gold medallist Yelena Isinbayeva is taking a break from sport.
