WHICH ASAFA WILL WE SEE IN PARIS ON FRIDAY?

The last man to beat Bolt (above) was Powell back in July 2008.

After the World Championships in Osaka in 2007 I stopped expecting anything great from Asafa Powell. Having been favored to win the men’s 100 metres, Powell panicked and lost for the very first time to Tyson Gay. He has not beat Gay since.
However, this year Powell came out in what could be the best shape of his life. He is lighter and stronger and ran amazing well during the first part of the season and capped it off with a fast 9.82-second run in the 100 metres in Rome. Usain Bolt tied that season best in Lausanne just over a week ago.
But Powell, last Saturday in Gateshead, London took on a less than 100 percent Tyson Gay in the 100 metres. Gay, who is suffering from a tight hamstring was beaten Walter Dix at the Prefontaine Diamond League in Eugene and even though he ran a fast 19.76s for second, revealed that he was rusty and would need a few races to get sharp.
Gateshead was Gay’s first race after his defeat at the hands of Dix and he was racing against a man who everybody acknowledged was the man to beat this season.
Powell got off to a blazing start and opened up a good lead on Gay going into the last 20 metres of the race before Gay surged and nipped him at the line. The times 9.94 and 9.96 for Gay and Powell respectively hardly matter since they were running into a strong headwind of -1.7 metres per second. What does matter is that Powell seemed to choke again.
Sure, we know he says he forgot that Gay was in the race and he wont make that mistake again but look at the race again. When he began to feel Gay’s pressure Powell noticeably tightened up and started high-stepping to the line. As one observer noted it almost seemed as if he was willing the finish line to come to him.
I believe its time for Asafa to come clean, he panicked yet again. The newfound confidence he has been exhibiting since the start of the season is nothing but a facade as underneath he is still a poor competitor.
Maurice Greene said it best; Asafa is the greatest sprinter in the world when there is nobody who can challenge him in the race but put someone in there who can beat him and he goes to pieces.
If I am wrong, his race against Bolt in Paris this weekend will give you an indicator. Like Gay, Bolt is not 100 percent but he has promised that he is aiming for a fast time, perhaps 9.70s, a time that used to be almost exclusive territory to Asafa.
This weekend I will be looking for two things – the time Asafa produces and whether or not he again breaks under the stress of competing against someone he knows has not lost a race in two years.
And it doesnt matter that Asafa was the last person to beat Bolt. Since that last loss Bolt doesnt seem to know how to lose, nor does he fear losing so he runs free.
I think the time has long come for Powell to start doing the same.