Jamaican world record holder Asafa Powell is hopeful he will be ready to compete at the Melbourne Grand Prix next Thursday, the IAAF website reported yesterday.

Powell has stitches in his left knee from a fall at his home in Jamaica.

He is scheduled to have the stitches removed this weekend. He said if he can train without inconvenience on Monday, he will compete in Melbourne.

"It's not moving as fast as I would want it to, but things are looking positive. It's coming along well," Powell said.

The accident, which happened because he was late for training and rushing, forced Powell out of this weekend's Sydney Grand Prix he was planning only to run the anchor of a 4x100-metre relay, which boasts Trinidadian Darrel Brown and Jamaican Michael Frater, 100-metre silver medallists at the 2003 Paris and 2005 Helsinki World Champion-ships, respectively.

This Olympic year is an important year for Powell, who is aiming to reverse the trend of disappointments he has experienced at major events.

To date he has run two world records, of 9.77 - which he equalled twice - and 9.74 in Rieti following his World Championship defeat last summer, Powell's medal tally in the majors stands at one, the Osaka bronze, when he was beaten by American Tyson Gay and Bahamian Derrick Atkins.

Still, he remains unconcerned, finding confidence in his coach and programme.

"I am still young. I have more Olympic Games and World Championships to go, so it is just for me to stay strong," he said in the IAAF story.