Jamaican sets world record in 100-meter dash

Associated Press
June 14, 2005

ATHENS, Greece — Asafa Powell set a world record in the men's 100 meters Tuesday, clocking 9.77 seconds at the Tsiklitiria Super Grand Prix meeting.

The Jamaican, who finished fifth at the 2004 Athens Games, shaved one hundredth of a second off Tim Montgomery's record of 9.78 set in Paris in 2002.

Montgomery's record already was at risk because he faces doping charges. The previous record was 9.79 set by Maurice Greene in Athens in 1999.

Powell, 22, already had the world's fastest time this year, a run of 9.84 seconds at the Jamaica International Invitational on May 8. He also ran a 9.85 on June 9 in the Czech Republic.

"I'm very happy that ... I achieved this performance,'' Powell said after the race at the Olympic Stadium. "I knew I could break the world record and I am very happy I succeeded.''