'Everybody has a season' - Dad glad Asafa is regaining composure

Since Usain Bolt's 100-metre record run on May 31 to claim the title from fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell, track and field fans seem divided.

But Asafa's father, Rev William Powell, only wishes the best for both sprinters.

Rev Powell was not in the best of moods yesterday, despite his son clinching the 100 metre race in 9.88 seconds over Bolt's 9.89 seconds at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden.

Rev Powell was distraught because of what he said were disturbing comments about his son on a local radio programme.

He said this was not the first time he was hearing negative comments about Asafa, but yesterday's utterance was the worst.

"Everybody has their season and if it's Bolt's season, we have to encourage both of them, we cannot kill Asafa," he said.

Bolt ran 9.72 seconds to erase Powell's world record of 9.74 at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.

ALWAYS Praying for Bolt

"Bolt is doing something so we need to big him up, don't act like one is from Jamaica and the other is from Haiti," he said. "I always pray for Bolt, because when he sees me, he will hug me up and say pray for me," added Rev Powell.

Yesterday, Rev Powell also remembered his son telling him about the mistake he made in the 100-metre finals involving Justin Gatlin at the 2004 Athens Olympic.

He also remembered Asafa saying to him after the recent Olympic trials that Bolt's winning run would have taken some of the pressure off him. With Asafa's win yesterday, Rev Powell said he is glad that the track star is regaining his composure.

"I am looking for the gold in Beijing," he said.

Hubert Lawrence, track and field analyst, agreed that Asafa's win was significant.

"It's looking like he is getting back to his best," Lawrence said.