On June 14, 2005 Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell sped away with the 100-meter world record at the Super Grand Prix in Athens, Greece, clocking in at a blistering 9.77 seconds - one-hundredth of a second off the previous 100-meter record set by Maurice Green.
Asafa officially is now the fastest man in the universe. How much does it take an ordinary man, who five years ago was practically a nobody, to accomplish this feat? It takes guts, determination, a strict training regimen, and the support of family and friends. Asafa also hasa pleasant "nice-guy" attitude - on the track and off - unlike many of today's cocky, head way up in the cloud sprinters. He also has a tremendous belief in himself - and an even greater belief in God.
Sprint Cs
Asafa's humble beginnings in the quiet, rural settlement of Linstead, St. Catherine, Jamaica, were a precursor to his amazing achievements on the track. Growing up, Asafa was the product of a strict upbringing and deeply cultured family values. His parents, the Reverends William and Cislyn Powell, didn't allow their children to go to dances and shows. It was discipline and closeness of family that helped shape Asafa and his five older brothers.
The Powells have seen their fair share of set backs and suffering.
Brother Michael was murdered in a cab in New York City. Another brother, Vaughn, collapsed and died on a football field in Georgia. Reverend Powell himself was shot in the jaw during a robbery attempt. But the family's close bond and devout belief in God have kept them going even in times of great adversity and sadness. While in high school, Asafa dreamed the great dream and wrote his goal in his yearbook: To break the world record.
Asafa attended university in capital Kingston, Jamaica - turning down offers from American universities. He lives and trains there, attending church every week, and staying in close contact with his parents. It's easy to assume that the fastest man in the world would rely on a wide variety of special supplements to stay energetic and train hard. Asafa had never taken any type of vitamin up to April of 2005. "Taking Nutrilite(TM) Double X(TM) was the only change I made to how I had been training. After I started taking it, I felt I had more energy to train harder and run faster."
He adds, "I am very careful about what I consume so I appreciate the balanced vitamin and mineral content plus the rich, plant-based concentrates in Double X."
He clocked 9.84 seconds in May 2005 at the Jamaica International Invitational, - at the time, the fastest time in the world that year. A month later, he delivered a similar performance in the Czech Republic, with a time of 9.85 seconds. Asafa broke the world record, running 100 meters in just 9.77 seconds - in the very stadium in Athens where he finished a disappointing fifth in the 2004 Olympics. His reaction to breaking the world record? The at ease, shy, deeply religious young man merely laughed and smiled - even during the few minutes it took for his world record time to be confirmed on the scoreboard.
"When I run, I don't think about my competition," says the world record holder.
"I just do what I have to do. Nutrilite doesn't consider the competition in what they do, they just focus on being the best in their field."
The name "Asafa" means "rising to the occasion" and I believe we will undoubtedly see the name Asafa Powell in the sports records for many years to come.
Asafa will only be 25 at the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 - a relatively young athlete in the highly competitive world of track stars. Asafa's story is one of setting and achieving goals and should serve as an aspiring story to those inside and out the athletic circle.
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