The 24-year-old Asafa Powell of Jamaica broke the 100 metres world record with 9.74 seconds at the 37th IAAF Grand Prix in Rieti on Sept. 9, 2007.
The new world record 9.74 seconds was set in his heat and later he won the final in 9.78 seconds.
“It is a very fast record. It is to remind my friends that Asafa is still here,” he told reporters.
“I’ve been with my coach and working hard to get back to normal,” Powell added. “The last 40 metres were very strong. I executed it and did what I came to do today.”
He was also the record holder of 9.77 for this event but shared with American Olympic champion Justin Gatlin. Asafa Powell’s previous record of 9.77 was set in Athens in June 2005 and equaled the record in June and August 2006.
