ASAFA SHOWING SOME FIRE AND I LIKE IT

I was watching a video on TrackAlerts.com this week of former world record holder Asafa Powell being interviewed. Among other things, he was asked what he thought of Justin Gatlin’s comments that he is returning from his drug ban ready to challenge the top three sprinters of all time – Powell, Gay and Bolt.
Powell responded to the question by saying Gatlin wont be able to cut it when he returns and he said it with venom. I like that.
Asafa has always been meek. It’s one of the traits many people like about him. He is humble and never usually has a bad word to say about anyone.
The only trouble is Asafa is a sprinter and that requires a certain amount of bravado. Many people might not have liked Maurice Greene’s antics, or Ato Boldon’s cockiness, or Donovan Bailey’s arrogance, but these guys were successful not only because of the talent they possessed but also because they got under the skins of their opponents by being brazen.
Intimidation is a critical tool that successful athletes use to get to the top and Asafa, as one of the three fastest men of all time, needs to add it to his arsenal. He has the speed and he has the times but he lacks the venom.
We saw him relax a bit more during the last World Championships in Berlin and he ran his best race in a final despite suffering from an ankle injury.
He has tried to do it the ‘nice’ way and I hope he now sees that his way is not necessary the best way.
The ankle is about 80 percent better he said in the interview, so we suspect that by the time the Diamond League starts in May, he will be ready to rumble with Gay and Bolt, men who have surpassed him over the past three years.
That fire that he exhibited, if he can maintain it from now on, should serve him well because they are many sprinters gunning for his number three slot. If he is to keep them at bay and possibly return to the top he has to show more of it. He has to unleash the beast within because for all his passive upbringing Asafa needs to remember that there is a reason they say nice guys finish last.