Jamaican sprinters Asafa Powell and Sherone Simpson powered to victory at a super grand prix meeting in Sweden yesterday.
Despite enjoying a near perfect start to win the men's 100 metres in 9.86 seconds in Stockholm, Powell never came close to breaking his own world record time of 9.77 set in Athens in 2005.He swept past second-place American Tyson Gay (9.97) while Marcus Brunson finished third (10.09).
"It felt like an easy and comfortable win," said Powell, who shares the world 100 record with American Justin Gatlin.
"I've been running nine-eights all season and that's what I came here to do. "All I worried about was running against the clock. I didn't mind anyone in the race."
Jamaicans Chris Williams and Dwight Thomas were fifth and sixth respectively in the men's 100m. Williams won the B race in 10.18, the same time Thomas registered in taking fifth in the A race.
In the women's 200m, Simpson equalled 2006 best of 22.00 seconds to beat American Sanya Richards (22.35) into second place. Bahamas' Debbie Ferguson was third (22.59). Simpson clocked 22.00 in Rome earlier this month.
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"I was actually planning to go under that time but I won so I'm happy," said Simpson, who is also the world's fastest woman in the 100 metres this year. "I beat some good girls tonight." American Allyson Felix, the event's world champion, finished only fifth (22.71).
Powell and Simpson both collected a one-carat diamond for breaking the stadium record in their events. Powell beat the 9.87 set by American Maurice Greene in 1999 while Simpson bettered the 1994 mark of Russian Irina Privalova by two-hundredths of a second.
Shericka Williams earned a personal best 22.61 after her fourth place finish in the women's 200m. The men's 200m went to American Wallace Spearmon in 20.08 with Chris Williams fourth in 20.66 and Ainsley Waugh, fifth in 20.73.
Wariner's excellent run
In the men's 400 metres, American Jeremy Wariner produced an excellent run to win in 44.02 seconds. World champion Michelle Perry won the women's 100m hurdles in 12.60 with Jamaica's Brigitte Foster-Hylton second in 12.72.
