STOCKHOLM, July 23: Jamaica’s Asafa Powell got off to a fine start and then held on to beat compatriot and world record holder Usain Bolt in the men’s 100 metres at a Grand Prix meeting on Tuesday.

Bolt, who took the world record off Powell earlier this year by clocking 9.72 seconds, nearly caught up with his compatriot toward the end of the race and finished just 0.01 behind Powell, who clocked 9.88 seconds.

The rest of the field was outclassed by the two men who along with American Tyson Gay are preparing to challenge for the gold medal at next month’s Olympics in Beijing.

“A couple of weeks ago it was all about Usain and I was enjoying myself in the background,” a smiling Powell told reporters.

He will not face Bolt in Friday’s Grand Prix in London but is due to clash with nemesis Gay.

Russia’s pole vault supremo Yelena Isinbayeva was not quite at her best on the night but easily won by clearing 4.85 metres on her second attempt before failing to clear 4.95.

Poland’s Monica Pyrek, who accomplished the rare feat of beating Isinbayeva here two years ago, finished second with 4.70 ahead of her compatriot Anna Rogowska in third on 4.60.

World record holder Isinbayeva still managed a stadium record. With her 4.85 clearance, the Russian improved on the record she set here three years ago by six centimetres.

Earlier, Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner of the United States won the men’s 400 metres in 44.29 seconds.

Results:

Men’s: 100 metres: 1. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) 9.88 seconds; 2. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.89; 3. Nesta Carter (Jamaica) 9.98.

400 metres: 1. Jeremy Wariner (US) 44.29 seconds; 2. Chris Brown (Bahamas) 44.53; 3. Ricardo Chambers (Jamaica) 44.84.

1,000 metres: 1. Abubaker Kaki Khamis (Sudan) two minutes 13.93 seconds; 2. Youssef Saad Kamel (Bahrain) 2:14.72; 3. Yuriy Borzakovskiy (Russia) 2:15.50.

3,000 metres: 1. Craig Mottram (Australia) seven minutes 37.73 seconds; 2. Isaac Songok (Kenya) 7:38.97; 3. Daham Najim Bashir (Qatar) 7:39.45.—Reuters