RALEIGH (North Carolina), Sept 13: World record holder Asafa Powell will not compete in the 100 metres at this weekend's IAAF World Cup in Athens although his name appears on the event's latest start list.

“He's just running the (4x100 metres) relay,” his manager Paul Doyle said on Tuesday from the Jamaican's training base in Lignano, Italy.

“But they still insist on keeping him on the start list for some reason for the Americas team,” Doyle added.

“We told them more than a month ago he will run only the relay.”

Doyle said Powell's coach, Stephen Francis, made the decision in May.

“We knew it was going to be a long season,” Doyle added.

Powell would have been one of the two-day meeting's top attractions. He set his world record of 9.77 seconds in Athens in 2005.

The 23-year-old Jamaican has twice equalled the mark this season and has won 22 consecutive 100 metres races including preliminary rounds. Twelve of his victories have been under 10 seconds.

Powell will conclude his season with a 100-metre event in Yokohama, Japan, on Sept 24.

“Coach just wants to get him experience running in Japan,”

Doyle said. “He's never been to Japan and he wants to get the experience before Osaka.”

The 2007 world championships will be held in Osaka and Powell's coach is preparing the sprinter to run both the 100 and 200 metres there, Doyle said.

“We will see how the (2007) season progresses, but the plan right now is to consider doubling in the world championships,” Doyle added.

The World Cup starts on Saturday and involves teams from Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the US plus Russia, France, Poland and Greece.—Reuters