• Diamond League, Lausanne

Powell wins 100m in fastest time of the year

Asafa Powell won the 100m in 9.78s © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Gay out until 2012 after successful surgery
  
• Profile: Asafa Powell

Asafa Powell won the men's 100 metres in the fastest time in the world this year at the latest Diamond League meeting in Lausanne on Thursday, as Dai Greene continued to show great form for Great Britain.

Powell saw off the challenge of Michael Frater and Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre to take sprint victory in a blistering time of 9.78 seconds, laying down a marker to rivals Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt with the World Championships only a few months away.

Frater came home second in Lausanne, with Lemaitre tipping under 10 seconds at 9.95s to round out the podium.

"It was a fantastic run, a bit cold out there, but I managed to push through," Powell told the BBC afterwards. "I got a great start. We've been practising that for a very long time now. I definitely can't wait to face Usain."

Meanwhile, in the 400m hurdles Greene saw off the challenge of current World Championship gold and silver medallists Kerron Clement and Javier Culson to take victory in 48.41s - with compatrioat Jack Greene showing his promise as he came home in fourth.

"I told my coach at the beginning of the week I need to be winning races like this," Greene said. "I know I'm very close to the British record, but I'm saving my best for the World Championships. I'm ahead of schedule in training for that, if anything.

"You have to believe you can win [and be the best in the world], and days like this reinforce that."

There was disappointment for the other high profile Team GB athlete in action, however, as Phillips Idowu was blown away by Frenchman Teddy Tamgho in the triple jump after an impressive leap of 17.91m.

Idowu was a worrying 39 centimetres back after a jump of 17.52m, although he was comfortably clear of Cuba's Alexis Copello in third.

Elsewhere there were some promising performances for British athletes, as Andy Turner set a new personal best on the way to coming fourth behind Dayron Robles in the men's 110m hurdles, and Tiffany Ofili-Porter came third after a good run in the women's 100m.

Shara Proctor matched that feat after a jump of 6.66m in the long jump.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.