Powell's price too steep

2007-09-06 10:46

Zurich - Organisers for the Zurich Golden League Grand Prix said on Wednesday that they had failed in a bid to set up a 100m duel between Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay because the Jamaican priced himself out of the race.

Patrick Magyar said that "out of honesty" he could not agree to pay world record holder Powell double the amount that would be given to triple world champion Gay.

Powell equalled his world record of 9.77 seconds in Zurich last year and had asked for $100 000 to race this year, whereas Gay had already accepted $50 000.

"We told Asafa, okay, as long as you're world champion," said Magyar.

Gay won 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay gold medals at the recent IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka.

It was on August 18 last year that Powell ran the world's best time, for the third time in his career, beating Gay, who posted 9.84, in that race.

The pair have met only once this season, in the final in Osaka, where Powell appeared to ease up before the line once it was clear he would not beat Gay. That cost him the silver medal and he instead had to settle for bronze.

- AFP