Asafa Powell shocked as Trayvon Bromell captures 60m gold in World Indoor Championships

Trayvon Bromell celebrates winning the 60m gold at the World Indoor Championships
Trayvon Bromell celebrates winning the 60m gold at the World Indoor Championships

Veteran Jamaican Asafa Powell’s mental demons returned to haunt him as he squandered yet another golden opportunity to win a global title in a shocking men’s 60m final at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, USA on Friday.

Living in the shadow of illustrious compatriot Usain Bolt had not been Powell’s only worry. Even bigger has been how he had faltered time and again at the easiest of opportunities which has left him searching for his maiden world title at the age of 33. His repeated failures had even once given him the moniker, ‘the big man for a small occasion’.

At Portland, the two-time World Championships bronze medallist had his path clear in the absence of Bolt who does not compete indoors anymore. There could not have been a shred of doubt in anyone’s mind about the form of the former world record holder after he dashed to the finish line in the heats and the semi-finals in just 6.44 seconds – a timing that put him in the fifth place of the all-time list.

Powell looked hungry, confident and determined to finally stand on the top podium at a world event.

Yet when the time came to perform in the final, it was the Powell of yore – insecure, diffident and unable to assert his supremacy when it matters the most. His effortless sprint from the heats became a struggle in the final as he was slow once again in starting out of the blocks.

Even a bronze looked out of reach and it was only a late burst that managed to gift him the silver medal with a timing of 6.50 seconds.

Asafa Powell was a most lonely man on Friday night
Asafa Powell was a most lonely man on Friday night

He was once again beaten, this time by the future of sprinting. Trayvon Bromell, all of 20 years of age, had been fast rising through the ranks and had even clinched the 100m bronze at last year’s World Championships with only the mighty Bolt and Justin Gatlin ahead of him.

With a dazzling personal best performance that took just 6.47 seconds and fetched him the coveted gold medal, the young American might just be the one who will take up the mantle when the invincible Bolt bids goodbye to the sport.

The third place went to Barbados’s Ramon Gittens who finished in 6.51, setting a new national record.

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Edited by Staff Editor