Sport

'Powell will be great'

By ANTHONY FOSTER, Freelance Writer

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file photos - Asafa Powell

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO'S Olympic Games 100 metres silver medallist Ato Boldon said on Sunday that Jamaica's Asafa Powell is one of the reasons for his early retirement as he expects him to now carry the Caribbean sprint baton.

"Asafa (Powell) is probably one of the reasons why I was quick to say, 'You know what? It's time to go (retire)', because he is a phenomenal athlete," said four-time Olympic Games medallist Boldon who retired after last year's summer Olympics.

"I think I am most intrigued by how far Asafa can take it," the 31-year-old told THE STAR during the 34th Carifta Games in Tobago.

He made it clear that he was not trying to ignore his countryman Darrell Brown and other Caribbean hopefuls by putting Powell first, but he is very impressed by the Jamaican.

"I have never seen anybody his (Powell's) size with that kind of power and I think if gets his 200m together, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with for a very long time."

Powell, conditioned locally by Stephen Francis, improved tremendously last season, running nine sub-10 seconds 100m including lowering the national record four times. During the season, he lowered the national 100m record to 9.87 and ran a personal best of 20.06 seconds over 200m.

With these statistics, Boldon, the youngest-ever World Championship medallist when he won bronze in Sweden 10 years ago, said he left the scene knowing that Caribbean sprinting is in good hands.

Record holder

"I think it (Caribbean sprinting) is in very capable hands," said Boldon, the 2000 Sydney 100m silver medallist.

Boldon's personal best 9.86 seconds makes him the fastest Caribbean sprinter, but he believes Powell will soon surpass that record.

"I have had the Caribbean record (9.86) for quite some time now, and I fully expect him (Powell) to be the next Caribbean record holder.

The women have been on top of Jamaica and the Caribbean sprinting over the years, and Boldon believes that will soon change.

"I think you are going to see the men step up and have the kind of performances the women have had over the years," added Boldon, who was happy to say ... "I am half Jamaican, and I am very proud of it."

Boldon, who said he would love to visit Jamaica more often, is currently engaging in motivational speeches during a nation-wide tour of Trinidad and Tobago.

The man who is number two on the world list for most sub-10 seconds, 28 in his career, said Powell made a big mistake by lying on the track before the 100m final in Athens.

"It's very simple and I don't think other people saw it. The minute you lay down (on the track), your adrenaline starts to subside."

"I believe if Asafa had not done that he would be the Olympic champion today ... I don't think it would have been close, I think he would have run maybe 9.79 or 9.80 seconds.

"I think everybody knew that Asafa going through the rounds, looked the best. He was certainly my pick but he made a rookie mistake. I guarantee you he won't make that mistake again."

He said Powell should have been bouncing around.