Yomi Omogbeja (15/06/2005)

Four African boys were on show as Jamaican Asafa Powell powered his way to a new men's 100 metres World Record of 9.77 seconds at the Athens Olympic Stadium.

Running into a legal wind of +1.60, Powell shaved 0.01 second off the old record (9.78) held by American Tim Montgomery since 14 September 2002, as all the African boys dipped under 10.25 seconds.

Ghana's Aziz Zakari, the fastest African so far this year, improved his personal best by 0.01 seconds to finish second in 9.99 seconds, followed by Michael Frater of Jamaica in 10.03 seconds.

Zakari, 29, showed why he's on top of the African sprints leaderboard at the moment, especially after he won a fast men's 100 metres race in 10.04 seconds last week in Chania, as he stuck with the Jamaican until Asafa literary blew everyone away with a stunning finish.

"It was a great race. A world record is not a joke. It is my second time in a race in which a World record was broken. That is okay. He worked hard and he deserves it," Zakari said.

Nigerian Trio

Three members of the Nigerian Olympics bronze winning quartet from Athens last year returned impressive performances.

University of Texas, El Paso graduate Aaron Egbele of Nigeria, who ran a season's best 10.18 seconds last week in Chania, lowered it further to 10.16 seconds to finish sixth.

Uchenna Emedolu and Deji Aliu followed in seventh and eighth positions in 10.21 and 10.24 seconds respectively.

Olympic Silver medallist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal was fourth in 10.04 seconds and Jamaican Patrick Jarrett, training partner of Athens Olympics 100m gold-medalist Justin Gatlin, was fifth in 10.15 seconds.

African Record

Docus Inzikiru of Uganda won the women's 3000m steeplechase in a new African record of 9:15.04. Wioletta Janowska of Poland was second with 9:25.09 and Salome Chepchumba of Kenya placed third in 9:31.44.

Baya Rahouli of Algeria won the women's triple jump with a leap of 14.72 metres. Hryssopigi Devetzi of Greece was second with 14.53 metres while Sudan's Yamile Aldama was third with 14.43 metres.

Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa won the men's 800m in 1:44.12. Wilfred Bungei of Kenya came second in 1:44.29.

Louis Van Zyl of South Africa won the men's 400m hurdles, finishing first in 48.16 seconds. Periklis Iakovakis of Greece came in second in 48.24 seconds and Naman Keita of France was third in 48.32 seconds.

Hasna Benhassi of Morocco won the women's 800m in 1:59.60, ahead of Maria Papadopoulou of Greece, second in a new national record of 1:59.79 and Laetitia Valdonado of France third in 1:59.96.

Nigeria's Australian-based Gloria Kemasuode came fourth in the women's 100 metres in 11.48 seconds - a race won by Jamaican Sherone Simpson in 11.15 seconds.

Men's 100m Result (+1.60 WS)

For complete result of the meeting, Click Here.