Powell powers to victory at London Grand Prix

Jul 25, 2008 - 9:35 PM LONDON (Ticker) -- Asafa Powell claimed he was in the form of his life after winning the 100 meters at the London Grand Prix on Friday night.

The former world record holder produced the best performance of the meeting with a run of 9.94 seconds, dragging Marc Burns to a time of 9.97 seconds with Michael Frater clocked an even 10.00 for third.

"The race did not go quite as I expected but felt easy," said Powell, Jamaica's former world record holder. "There's a bit more work to do and everything should be fine for Beijing.

"It wasn't the best of conditions but we made the most of it. The way I am running at the moment, I feel I am in the best shape I have been in."

Powell was supposed to be squaring off with top American Tyson Gay, but the reigning world champion opted not to run because of the left hamstring strain that prevented him from qualifying for the 200 for Beijing.

European champion Andrey Silnov, who has not been chosen for the Russia's Olympic team, won the high jump with a world-leading mark of 2.38 meters.

"My form is coming slightly at the wrong time," he said. "I should have jumped like this in the Russian trials.

"I am very happy to win this event and even happier to get a personal best."

Yelena Isinbayeva, after clearing a winning 4.93 meters, narrowly failed with her final attempt to raise the world pole vault record she set two weeks ago in Rome by two centimeters to 5.04m.

The 26-year-old Russian, who was nearly eliminated with the bar at 4.74m, recovered to dominate the contest and win easily ahead of American Jenny Stuczynski and Pole Anna Rogowska, who had best efforts of 4.81 and 4.65m, respectively.

"I am very disappointed today because I really felt I could jump a world record," said the Olympic champion Isinbayeva. "I've got one more competition and then a rest before Beijing.

"It's going to be a hard competition and it might be necessary to break a world record to win."