JAPAN: ATHLETICS: Asafa Powell admits giving up in world 100 metres final

American Tyson Gay surged past Jamaica's Asafa Powell to win gold in an electrifying men's 100 metres final at the world championships on Sunday (August 26). Gay caught world record holder Powell after 50 metres and clocked 9.85 seconds, with Derrick Atkins coming home strongly to claim silver for Bahamas in 9.91. Powell, whose world record of 9.77 was never in serious danger, took the bronze, his face contorted in disappointment as he crossed the line in 9.96. "When I saw I wasn't in gold medal contention, I gave up. I just stopped running," Powell told Reuters in an interview on Monday (August 27), less than 24 hours after he lost to the American. "I said to myself there was no coming back from this." The loss was a major disappointment since Powell has never won a global title despite having run a world record 9.77 seconds three times. "I am not sure what is happening, but I can't be negative right now," said Powell, who was disqualified for a false start along with American Jon Drummond in the semi-finals of the 2003 world championships, failed to medal in the 2004 Olympic final and missed the 2005 worlds through injury. "I felt very free, very relaxed before the race," he said, reflecting on Sunday night's drama. "But when Tyson came on and gave me a little pressure, I just panicked." The leader through the first half of the highly anticipated race, Powell faded to third behind Bahamian Derrick Atkins as Gay roared to his first global title. He promised to make amends by breaking his world record before the end of the year. "I didn't get to run fast at these world championships but I am going to bounce right back," Powell said. "I am going out there and I am going to give a world record." He said he looked forward to racing Gay again soon, perhaps in Brussels next month. Smiling and laughing, he seemed buoyed by an overflowing turnout at an appearance at sponsor Nike's downtown Osaka store. In a store game testing one-metre sprint ability, the world record holder could come only 31st best.

ITN Source | August 28, 2007

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