Asafa Powell to run in Rome

Not “only” Usain Bolt (whose name has already been announced) in the roman evening of 31 May. The long list of first class athletes participating to the third leg of the Samsung Diamond League IAAF is opened by Jamaica’s Asafa Powell, the former world record holder of 100m, and a star in Rome, the city where he lived and trained in the early years of his career. Already last year, on the track of the Stadio Olimpico, Powell missed a (partially) unexpected success, by losing to Usain Bolt by only 0.02 sec., 9.91 to 9.93. That match boosted an unforgettable 2011 edition of the Compeed Golden Gala, cheered by giant audience of 47.732 spectators.

This year Powell will make a new trial to beat his compatriot, during one of the first top-class sprint matches of the Olympic season (lasting a little more than two months to the Olympic final, to be held later in the season, on 5 August, 21:50 local time). Powell is now competing in the winter season: last Saturday he was third in the AVIVA Grand Prix of Birmingham, clocking 6.50, his personal best at 60m (the third result in the World 2012 list, narrowly behind SB of compatriots Clarke and Carter, respectively 6.47 and 6.49).