DOHA, May 12: World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin broke the 100 metres world record with a time of 9.76 seconds at an IAAF Super Tour meeting on Friday.

The 24-year-old American beat the previous mark of 9.77 set by Jamaica's Asafa Powell in Athens on June 14.

“I am the best of the best because I am the Olympic champion, the world champion and the world record holder now,” Gatlin told reporters.

“I thought I would do it and I kept my word. I am a man who likes challenges and my acceleration today was phenomenal.”

Gatlin announced he had his sights set on the world record earlier this week after clocking 9.95 seconds in his first outing of the season in Osaka last Saturday.

He recorded the fastest time in the world this year, 9.85 seconds, in the Doha semifinal.

Gatlin and Powell, who also ran 9.95 in Kingston, Jamaica at the weekend, are due to clash at a grand prix meeting in Gateshead, England on June 11.

The pair last met on the track in London in July when Powell pulled up with a groin problem that put paid to his season.

Gatlin said the world record could go again later in 2006. “The timings could be further improved this year, probably in Europe,” said Gatlin, who dedicated his record to God and his parents.

FACTBOX

Born: Feb. 10, 1982; Brooklyn, New York.

Starts off as hurdler at high school and goes on to win six NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) sprint titles.

2003 - Wins U.S. and world indoor 60 metres titles.

2004 - Wins Athens Olympics 100 metres gold medal in 9.85 seconds, one-hundredth of a second ahead of Portugal's Francis Obikwelu. Finishes third in the 200.

2005 - Wins world 100 title in Helsinki in 9.88 seconds by the biggest margin (0.17) in the history of the championships.

Leads U.S. clean sweep in the 200, winning in 20.04 to become only the second man after compatriot Maurice Greene to complete the double.

2006 - May: Runs 9.76 in Doha to shave 0.01 off Jamaican Asafa Powell's world record.

Evolution of men's 100m record:

Time Name/Nationality Date

10.6 sec Donald Lippincott (U.S.) 6.7.1912

10.4 Charles Paddock (U.S.) 23.4.1921

10.3 Percy Williams (Canada) 9.8.1930

10.2 Jesse Owens (U.S.) 20.6.1936

10.1 Willie Williams (U.S.) 3.8.1956

10.0 Armin Hary (West Germany) 21.6.1960

9.95 Jim Hines (U.S.) 14.10.1968

9.93 Calvin Smith (U.S.) 3.7.1983

9.92 Carl Lewis (U.S.) 24.9.1988

9.90 Leroy Burrell (U.S.) 14.6.1991

9.86 Lewis (U.S.) 25.8.1991

9.85 Burrell(U.S.) 6.7.1994

9.84 Donovan Bailey (Canada) 27.7.1996

9.79 Maurice Greene (U.S.) 16.6.1999

9.78 Tim Montgomery (U.S.) 14.9.2002

9.77 Asafa Powell (Jamaica) 14.6.2005

9.76 Justin Gatlin (U.S.) 12.5.2006

—Agencies