Powell wins 100m at Commonwealth Games
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Asafa Powell has a gold medal to go with
his world record in the 100 meters. He might have made things easier
by looking at the finish line and not at himself.
The Jamaican made a rookie mistake Monday when he took an extended
look at himself on a giant TV screen as he led his semifinal across
the finishing line, drifting into an adjoining lane. Commonwealth
Games officials decided he did not impede Canada's Anson Henry.

"It's all over now and I'm the gold medalist — it's great," said
Powell, who had matching times of 10.03 seconds in the semifinal and
final, well off the world record of 9.77 he set in Athens, last June.

Asked if he felt bad about the lane-crossing, Powell replied: "No,
why should I? I was way ahead."

Coming back from a groin problem that sidelined him for the 2005
world championships, Powell said he didn't want to overextend
himself in cool conditions before a crowd of almost 80,000 at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"It feels real good, I can't get over it," he said. "I ran pretty
easy and I got the gold medal."

Soji Fasuba of Nigeria took the silver in 10.11 and Marc Burns of
Trinidad and Tobago was third in 10.17.

Powell's semifinal had been chaotic from start. World championship
silver medalist and teammate Michael Frater and England's Mark Lewis-
Francis were disqualified for false starts.

Despite owning the 100 world record, Powell has his critics. He ran
a sub-10-second race in the 2004 Olympics at Athens and then
finished fifth in the final.

He was making his comeback to major international competition in
Melbourne.

"Actually, I wanted to get it over with," Powell said. "Further on
in the season, I'll try, for the record."

Powell's win gave Jamaica a double gold in the 100, with Sheri-Ann
Brooks winning the women's dash in 11.19.