Jamaica's Asafa Powell crosses the finish line to win the men's 100m during the IAAF World Athletics Final at the Gottlieb Daimler stadium in Stuttgart yesterday.

JAMAICA'S ASAFA Powell was at his destructive best yesterday, running an amazing Championship record 9.83 seconds at the IAAF VTB World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.

Following his disappointing third-place finish at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan, Powell again was determined to show that he's still in "world-record shape" as he ran his sixth fastest race to win easily.

He clocked 9.83 into a 0.3 m/s wind, his best clocking into a headwind to beat his previous Championships' mark of 9.84. During the race, he left in his wake Jaysuma Saidy Ndure of Norway; his closest rival yesterday, more than two tenths of a second behind.

Ndure was timed in 10.06, a national record. Powell's compatriot, Michael Frater (10.11), finished third.

Powell, the Commonwealth champion, described the run as "one of the best." He was more pleased to run that fast after a false start.

"I am very happy and impressed to run this great time," Powell, 24, said. "It is still the third fastest time."

'A good season'

The performance, which earned him US$30,000 (J$2.1 million) was his fourth fastest performance behind his recent 9.74 world record, his three 9.77 clockings and a 9.78. It was Powell's final 100m race this season and, apart from not winning the World Championship gold, he said it was a good season.

"It's been a great season. Not the best - I didn't get world title - but I got the world record and I've been running some fabulous times since then," he said.

He hinted these fast times after the World Championships were to prove a point.

"I'm just showing everybody that I can do it," Powell told reporters.

Meanwhile, apart from Powell and Frater, Delloreen Ennis-London was the only other Jamaican that made it to the medal podium yesterday. Ennis-London ran 12.72 seconds for third behind American Michelle Perry (12.68) and Spanish Josephine Onyia (12.70) in the sprint hurdles.

Koreen Hinds (9:40.50) and Mardrea Hyman (9:51.03) were fifth and ninth respectively in the women's 3000m steeplechase which was won by Kenyan Eunice JepKorir (9:38.03).

Sheri-Ann Brooks did not start in the women's 200m, which was won by Muriel Hurtis-Houairi of France (22.73) while Sanjay Ayre (46.32) finished eighth in the men's 400m. American Lashawn Merritt won the event in 44.58.

In today's action, Brooks is down for the 100m, Novlene Williams and Shericka Williams for the 400m, Melaine Walker is set for the 400m hurdles and Chris Williams will race in the men's 200m.

AP