Bolt tops Powell at Jamaica trials

World record holder Usain Bolt (second left) looks over at Asafa Powell (right) as he wins the 100 meters final at the Jamaican trials for the Beijing Olympics in Kingston on Saturday.(Shanghai Daily Photo)World record-holder Usain Bolt beat former record-holder Asafa Powell in the 100-meter final at Jamaica's Olympic trials in Kingston on Saturday, finishing in 9.85 seconds.

Powell was second in 9.97. Both qualified for August's Beijing Olympics.

Michael Frater secured the third berth on the Jamaican team with his run of 10.04 seconds.

Local fans had hoped for a close battle between their two heroes but Bolt let up in the final five meters with his victory secure.

"We are good friends and that's why I have been telling everyone that it won't be a clash here," Bolt said. "We just came to qualify for the Olympics, but in the end, I guess the crowd was a little disappointed with this."

Last month in New York, Bolt ran a 9.72 to break Powell's world record of 9.74.

"I just went out there to execute the first 50 and, in the end, I am very pleased with my performance," Powell said. "The aim was to make the team and, I did that, so I am OK. I'm just coming off an injury, so I did what I had to do."

Bolt will run in the 200 meters today (Shanghai time), his favored discipline, in which he claimed silver at last year's world championships.

It is hard to imagine Bolt not running in 100 in China but his coach Glen Mills again declined to reveal his plans.

"There is no decision yet and there won't be until August," Mills said.

But Powell's coach Stephen Francis said he was certainly expecting Bolt to be lining up in the shortest race.

"Why not? We assume he will be there," he said.

Kerron Stewart won the women's 100 in 10.80, the second-fastest time by a Jamaican woman ever. Shelly-Ann Fraster was second in 10.85, Sherone Simpson followed in 10.87 and world champion Veronica Campbell-Brown was fourth in 10.87.

In Eugene, Oregon, world champion Tyson Gay equalled the fourth fastest 100 meters of all time when he clocked an American record 9.77 seconds in the quarterfinals at the US Olympic trials on Saturday.

The sizzling run followed an embarrassing mistake by Gay in the opening round in which he said he misjudged the finish line and needed a late surge to qualify.

Only Bolt and Powell have run faster.

"I thank God that I was able to run a (personal record), but that's what I want to do in the finals," said Gay, whose previous best was 9.84 seconds.

"After the first round, I was scared," Gay said. "I almost started crying as soon as I crossed the line because I thought I didn't make it."

His time broke former world record holder Maurice Greene's 1999 national record of 9.79 seconds and overshadowed Muna Lee's surprising win in the women's 100 final.

Lee clocked 10.85 seconds to upset former world champions Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams.

Edwards finished second and Williams third to make the US team for Beijing. Both clocked 10.90 seconds.

Edwards had equalled the eighth fastest women's 100 ever with a time of 10.78 seconds in the semifinals.

Marshevet Hooker, who had a wind-assisted 10.76 seconds on Friday, was a non-qualifying fourth and 200 world champion Allyson Felix took fifth.

"I was coming in here just trying to make the team," said the 26-year-old Lee, who was a member of the 2004 US Olympic team in the 200.

(source: shanghai daily)