July 04, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 18, 1428

PARIS, July 3: World 100-metre record holder Asafa Powell has withdrawn from the Paris and Rome legs of the Golden League series because of injury, the director of the French meet Gerard Rousselle announced on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old Jamaican's absence from Friday's event in the French capital means he will automatically be out of contention for at least a share of the one million dollar jackpot.

“His agent Paul Doyle contacted us late yesterday,” said Rousselle, who added that Powell will also miss the third leg of the series in Rome on July 13.

Powell, who broke the world record in June 2005 in Athens, injured his groin during the 100 metre final at the Jamaican National Championships ten days ago.

The Golden League offers a one million dollar prize to any athlete who can win six consecutive times during a half dozen sanctioned events between June 15 and Sept 16.

Last year Powell won a part of the jackpot after winning the 100m in each of the six legs.

He won the first meet of this year's Golden League on June 15 in Oslo.—AFP