Gatlin and Powell to Run in Separate Sections of the 100 at Pre Classic
Posted Thursday, 18 May, 2006
EUGENE, Ore. -- Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell, co-holders of the world 100-meter record, will run May 28 at the Prefontaine Classic -- just not in the same race.
Meet promoter Tom Jordan told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Gatlin and Powell will run the 100, but in two separate eight-man fields.
The two can't race against each other, Jordan said, because they are contractually obligated, for a high fee, to meet for the first time this year June 11 at the Norwich British Union Grand Prix in Gateshead, England.
Both sprinters run for Nike, the sponsor of the Prefontaine meet.
Gatlin thought he had broken the world 100 record with a 9.76-second clocking at a meet in Doha, Qatar, Friday night. But the International Association of Athletics Federations said Wednesday that because of a timing error, Gatlin ran a 9.77-second race. That ties the mark Powell set last year.
i