RETHYMNON (Greece), July 22: America's Tyson Gay won the 100 metres at the 22nd Vardinoyiannia athletics meeting on Friday taking advantage of the controversial absence of joint world record holder Asafa Powell.

Gay won in 9.88 seconds setting a competition record and recording his best mark this season.

Powell had reportedly lined-up to take part in the Crete meet but organisers said he had been scratched from the race after he failed to turn-up.

However, the Jamaican's coach Stephen Francis denied that “unprofessional conduct” was to blame for Powell and three other Jamaican runners missing the meeting.

Powell was to travel with his agent Paul Doyle, hurdler Brigitte Foster and sprinters Michael Frater and Sherone Simpson on Wednesday for the Crete meet.

Francis said that Powell, unlike Simpson, Foster and Frater, was not contracted to compete at the meet.

“Asafa was not down to compete at this meet, so he did not withdraw as stated in these reports,” Francis said.

“We had an agreement for Asafa to compete in the 100 metres, but then the meet representatives told us that the majority of the agreed fee would not be paid until sometime next year ... we then told the meet rep that we would not be competing on those terms, and that Asafa and the other athletes would withdraw.”

Darrel Brown of Trinidad was second on Friday with his season's best of 10.13, followed by Kaaron Conwright of the United States in 10.15.

Lithuania's Virgilijus Alekna threw a season best 71.08 metres in the men's discus throw to win the event.

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