NATIONAL 100-METRE champion Asafa Powell leaves the island tomorrow to compete in the 60m at Friday's Verizon Millrose Games, New York.
Powell, who had a fairly good 2003 season, opened up this year's campaign at Saturday's local Queen's/Grace Jackson Development meet at Stadium East by winning the 60m in 10.3.
Commenting on Powell's approach to the race, his coach, Stephen Francis: "We never intended for him (Powell) to run the full 100m, he is trying to get a warm-up for the Millrose Games (60m)."
According to Francis, Saturday's race was also to get Powell back on track. "Our programme is a lot behind where it was last year. He is not in race shape now but he is a very good sprinter ... he has improved a lot in terms of his strength, he has kept his weight at where it should be and most of the exercises we do he has improved in," the coach said.
"We just wanted to see where he was and, to tell you the truth, I am very, very amazed by the time he did at 60m. If this holds up, he should run extremely fast this season."
HAUGHTON AMONG WINNERS
Meanwhile, Gregory Haugh-ton and Dwayne Barrett were among the winners at second annual Boston University Invitational at the weekend.
Haughton took the 400m in 46.63, beating Barrett (48.42) into 10th. However, Barrett returned to win the 500m in 1:03.64.
At the Adidas Boston Indoor Games in Massachusetts, also over the weekend, Vonette Dixon (8.01) finished second in the 60m hurdles.
Sandie Richards (53.07) and Dwight Thomas (6.65) finished third in the 400m and 60m respectively. Little-known Jamaican Bobby Williams (6.71) finished last in the men's 60m. Madrea Hyman was beaten into sixth place in the women's 1,500m.
Davian Clarke and his spouse, Lacena Golding-Clarke won their respective races at the Sparkassen Cup in Stuttgart, Germany. Davian (46.40) took the 400m A race, while Lacena (7.94) led a Jamaican double, beating Delloreen Ennis-London (7.95) in the 60m hurdles. Another Jamaican, Dionne Rose-Henley (8.17) finished fourth. Peta-Gaye Dowdie (23.85) finished second in the 200m, while in the men's 60m hurdles, Jamaica's Maurice Wignall (7.64) came third.
