HomeFootballLife in JamaicaThe LanguageChatroomContact Me

Jamaica's Track and Field:
Asafa Powell, World's Fastest

The day was Tuesday, June 14, 2005 when the sport of track and field was saved by the blistering speed of the Jamaican warrior, Asafa Powell. The young Jamaica sprinter set a new world record of 9.77 at the Tsiklitiria Super Grand Prix. beating the old record by one-hundredth of a second. "It's great, it's great, I am the fastest man in the world now." said the 22 year old Powell. Asafa who had finished fifth at the Olympics last summer, ran the two fastest times in the world this year of 9.84 seconds at the Jamaica International Invitational in May 8 and 9.85 in the Czech Republic on June 9, before smashing the previous drug tainted time set by an American runner Tim Montgomery.

The former record holder, was charged with using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Recently, many American athletes have come under the suspicion of being drug filled, tarnishing the sport of track and field. Montgomery and his girlfriend Marion Jones were both implicated in the BALCO Laboratory drugs scandal, said he was shocked that Powell broke his record. Is he shocked because this humble, drug free Jamaican did not need the help of a chemist like so many American athletes do?. Or is it that Asafa's beautiful attitude showed what greatness is?... he lifted his head up when he lost and moved on and showed the world that Jamaican is truly the sprint factory of the world.