Michael Frater - File

MIAMI, United States (CMC)

Olympic sprint relay gold medallist, Jamaican Michael Frater, believes it is just a matter of time before the men's 100 metres world record is lowered again, given the form produced by fellow countrymen Asafa Powell and Usain Bolt this season.

Frater was speaking following Bolt's performances at the Beijing Olympics and his subsequent times on the European circuit. Powell, the former world record holder, has also run some very fast times following the Olympics.

Chasing game

At the season-ending Golden League meet in Brussels, Bolt chased down Powell to win the men's 100m in a sizzling 9.77 seconds despite being pushed back by a strong 1.3 metre per second headwind. Powell followed him home with an impressive 9.83.

"If the conditions here (in Brussels) were better the world record would have surely gone," said Frater after chasing Bolt and Powell to the finish line. "Without a doubt it's just a matter of time before the world record goes."

In that event, Jamaican athletes captured the top four places with Nesta Carter taking third in 10.07 seconds and Frater completing the sweep at 10.08.

Since his formal introduction to the 100 metres in May, Bolt has been bang on form running world record times twice at the Beijing Olympics in addition to securing the Olympic sprint double.

Frater said the Americans were normally the ones in the forefront of the sprints, but Jamaicans were now turning the tide. He also said that he did not mind finishing in the minor places, once Jamaicans finished ahead of him.

"As long as it's a Jamaican, I don't have a problem with it (not winning). It used to be the US, but now the games have changed," Frater commented.

"You know, it doesn't matter to me what order it's in just as long as it's a Jamaican on top."

Frater, the gold medal winner at the 2003 Pan American Games after the initial winner American Mickey Grimes tested positive, has enjoyed the best season of his career so far.

After struggling to hit the sub-10 seconds barrier in his previous seasons, the 25-year-old has dipped below the barrier twice this year, running a career best 9.97 seconds in the Olympic final, and most recently a strong 9.98 behind Powell in Rieti, Italy for second last Sunday.