EUGENE (Oregon), May 29: Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin clocked 9.88 seconds to outperform joint world record holder Asafa Powell in separate 100 metres races at the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday.

Gatlin used his powerful acceleration from about 40 metres to win the first race convincingly before Powell took the second in a wind-assisted 9.93 seconds.

Gatlin matched Powell's world record of 9.77 seconds on May 12.

Cool weather and rain had threatened to slow the two sprinters.

Powell slowed over the closing stages of his race but played down injury fears.

Powell and Gatlin shook hands after Powell's race and both said they were looking forward to racing head-to-head, though a proposed June 11 meeting in Gateshead, England, has been cancelled.

Gatlin said a race in London in July may be a possibility.

The meeting produced the leading performances in the world in four events, including the 110 metres hurdles where Olympic champion Liu Xiang of China clocked 13.21 seconds.

The ankle was healthy enough for Liu to defeat a talented field including French world champion Ladji Doucoure (13.33) and former Olympic and world champion Allen Johnson (13.39).

Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat of the US won the mile in 3:51.53, American Christian Cantwell put the shot 22.17 metres and Russian world champion Tatyana Tomashova won the women's 1,500 metres in 4:01.81.

Leading results:

MEN’S:

100 metres (composite result of two races): 1. Justin Gatlin (US) 9.88 seconds; 2. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) 9.93; 3. Shawn Crawford (US) 10.04.

200 metres: 1. Wallace Spearmon (US) 20.27 seconds; 2. Rodney Martin (US) 20.52; 3. Coby Miller (US) 20.95.

400 metres: 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 44.88 seconds; 2. Gary Kikaya (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 45.03; 3. Michael Blackwood (Jamaica) 45.12.

Mile: 1. Bernard Lagat (US) three minutes 51.53 seconds; 2. Alex Kipchirchir (Kenya) 3:51.71; 3. Rashid Ramzi (Bahrain) 3:52.39.

Two miles: 1. Benjamin Limo (Kenya) eight minutes 10.59 seconds; 2. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 8:12.29; 3. Adam Goucher (US) 8:12.73.

110-metre hurdles: 1. Xiang Liu (China) 13.21 seconds; 2. Ladji Doucoure (France) 13.33; 3. Allen Johnson (US) 13.39.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Bershawn Jackson (US) 48.22 seconds; 2. Kerron Clement (US) 49.18; 3. James Carter (US) 49.31.

Long jump: 1. Miguel Pate (US) 8.27 metres; 2. Dwight Phillips (US) 8.20; 3. Andrew Howe (Italy) 8.01.

Pole vault: 1. Toby Stevenson (US) 5.50 metres; 2. Brad Walker (US) 5.50; 3. Alhaji Jeng (Sweden) 5.50.

Triple jump: 1. Walter Davis (US) 17.40 metres; 2. Nathan Douglas (Britain) 17.26; 3. Kenta Bell (US) 16.84.

Shot put: 1. Christian Cantwell (US) 22.17 metres; 2. Adam Nelson (US) 21.44; 3. Joachim Olsen (Denmark) 21.04.

Discus throw: 1. Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania) 67.97 metres; 2. Jarred Rome (US) 65.72; 3. Ian Waltz (US) 65.27.

WOMEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Torri Edwards (US) 11.08 seconds; 2. Sherone Simpson (Jamaica) 11.12; 3. Rachelle Smith (US) 11.21.

400 metres: 1. Sanya Richards (US) 50.89 seconds; 2. Shericka Williams (Jamaica) 51.29; 3. Ana Guevara (Mexico) 51.62.

800 metres: 1. Maria Mutola (Mozambique) one minute 58.86 seconds; 2. Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica) 1:59.00; 3. Hazel Clark (US) 1:59.10.

1500 metres: 1. Tatyana Tomashova (Russia) four minutes 01.81 seconds; 2. Maryam Yusuf Jamal (Bahrain) 4:02.55; 3. Gelete Burka (Ethiopia) 4:02.68.

100-metre hurdles: 1. Michelle Perry (US) 12.63 seconds; 2. Damu Cherry (US) 12.64; 3. Brigitte Foster-Hylton (Jamaica) 12.74.

High jump: 1. Yelena Slesarenko (Russia) 1.99 metres; 2. Amy Acuff (US) 1.96; 3. Chaunte Howard (US) 1.96.

Long jump: 1. Tatyana Lebedeva (Russia) 7.00 metres; 2. Grace Upshaw (US) 6.49; 3. Tianna Madison (US) 6.46.

Hammer throw: 1. Erin Gilreath (US) 69.82 metres; 2. Ivana Brkljacic (Croatia) 69.04; 3. Ester Balassini (Italy) 68.20.—Reuters