POWELL, FRASER SHINE ON FINAL DAY OF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

I prayed that the rain stayed away and for the most part it did over the weekend and we got a taste of what is to come later this season as Asafa Powell and Shelly Ann Fraser ran good times to please the small crowd at the National Stadium on Sunday.
Shelly Ann Fraser produced a solid 22.49s to beat a weak 200 metre field and even though she said she was aiming for a faster time, I was happy that she seemed to be back on track to produce some good times this season.
Fraser’s early season preparation was disrupted in part by an ankle injury that had her wearing a protective boot earlier this year. She also had some relatively modest – by her standards – outings with 11.14 and 11.04 over the 100-metre clockings in Europe earlier this season. The 11.04s was run in pretty bad conditions and which suggested she was on her way back to full fitness.
However, on Sunday she showed that if she was not all the way back, she is almost there.
Fraser dominated the curve, making up the stagger on virtually all her rivals and came home comfortably. The time was one of the fastest this year over the 200m and augurs well for her performances in Europe in the Diamond League later this summer.
Powell, who has shyed away from the 200-metres for years now, was even more impressive.
The last time anyone can remember that Powell ran the 200-m competitively was in 2006 when he ran 19.90s. Since that time Usain Bolt reduced those times to the halls of mediocrity, but then Powell, while immensely talented is no Usain Bolt, so his 19.97s run was very impressive.
The former 100-metre world record holder literally cruised the first 90 metres of the race and then exploded down the stretch to win by a margin that we have become accustomed to see Bolt winning by.
He later revealed that his blocks had slipped at the start. We also know that Powell has since 2005 when he hurt his groin running a 200m in Dominica, been skittish about running the curve. This makes his time even more impressive.
He revealed after the race that Coach Stephen Francis has plans for him to run about two more 200-metres this year, no doubt in a bid to get Powell to improve his speed endurance. This was one of the areas in which Powell was exposed in his races with Bolt and American Tyson Gay, who as natural 200m sprinters have a significant edge on Powell with regard to speed endurance.
Powell has been working hard on all aspects of his race and his world leading 100m times are evidence that he is improving. Earlier this season he delivered an impressive 31.6s 300m run in training that was an indicator of the type of season he was going to have.
Powell has been pushed down to number three in the short sprints but I dont think anyone would be surprised if he starts climbing up a slot by the time this season comes to an end.