ASAFA LOOKING LIKE HE'S READY FOR A FIGHT

The inaugural Diamond League got off to a fiery start last Friday in Doha. Former world record holder and World Championship bronze medallist Asafa Powell threw down the gauntlet to Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt with two very quick 100-metre dashes 9.75s (2.6m/s) and 9.81 (2.3m/s) while not even breaking a sweat.

Sure, the times were aided by over-the-limit winds but when you consider that Powell barely exerted any effort, it is plain to see that he is already in shape to run under 9.70 seconds this season.

Powell has taken a beating from Bolt and Gay on the track over the past two years and from members of the public who have lost patience with his inability to win a major championship but there are signs that Powell will return to relevance this season and in the years to come.

For the first time in a long while Powell has managed to start the season with suffering any major injury.

He looked decent at a couple of development meets and show some raw speed running a 200m in the rain at the Utech Classic. Over the first 8o metres of that race was perhaps the quickest I have ever seen him.

He was sharp and his cadence was incredible. Word is that he is also a lot stronger this year. Evidence of that strength is floating around in cyberspace in the form of a video of Asafa clocking a 31.60-second 300-metre run. To put that in perspective Michael Johnson’s personal best is 30.88s I believe.

Yes, Asafa looks set to run fast this year. He has said that he feels he can surpass Bolt’s world record of 9.58s. With no major championships on the agenda this year I expect to see Asafa make a full scale assault on Bolt’s record even while exacting some measure of revenge on Tyson Gay surpassing him to reclaim his spot as the second fastest man ever.

It’s not going to be easy but I don’ t believe that is going to stop him from trying.

Whether or not he can reclaim the title of fastest man we eagerly await the answer to that question.

All I know its going to be fun finding out.