DAEGU, South Korea CMC – Asafa Powell withdrew from the men’s 100 metres at the World Championships yesterday, with the Jamaican sprinter’s agent Paul Doyle saying the athlete has failed to recover from a nagging groin injury. “He’s still suffering groin pains from the Budapest meet (in July). He pulled out of the London (Diamond League) meet (from August 5 to 6) and has not recovered sufficiently to take part in the 100m, Doyle told the Agence France Presse news agency.
Doyle said Powell hopes to recover in time to take part in the 4×100 relay on the final day of competition on September 4.
The 100 begins on the opening day of the Championships today, with the Final to be contested on Sunday and Powell’s withdrawal further devalues the event, following the pull-outs of American Tyson Gay with a groin injury, and Jamaican Steve Mullings for a positive drugs test.
Powell ran the season’s fastest 100 of 9.78 seconds at the IAAF Diamond League in early July in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a duel with compatriot Usain Bolt was set to be one of the highlights of the Championships.
“We expected him to run in Daegu, but it was too short a time,” Doyle said. “We took the decision yesterday. He is upset, but he knows there is nothing he can do. He’s got to now concentrate on next year and the Olympics. It’s just bad luck, nothing else. At those speeds, you ask a lot of your body.”
Bolt, the defending World 100m champion, along with Yohan Blake, Nesta Carter, and Frater will now represent Jamaica in the dash.