ROME, July 14: World record holder Asafa Powell made an impressive comeback from injury by winning the 100 metres in 9.90 seconds at the Golden League meeting on Friday.

Powell, who had not raced an individual 100 since suffering a groin injury at the Jamaican national championships on June 23, streaked away from the field in Rome to finish 0.12 seconds ahead of runner-up Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas.

Powell's time was his best of the season and the second quickest performance of 2007 behind the 9.84 mark set by Tyson Gay at last month's US trials.

Afterwards Powell told journalists he could have gone even faster.

“I eased up at the finish. I didn't want to put pressure after the injury,” he said trackside.

“It was frustrating to get the injury when I did – at the start of the Golden League, but I'm happy with the way I raced here.

“The clash between me and Tyson Gay in Osaka (at the world championships) will be one of the showdowns of the year.”

Powell's victory was one of a number of impressive track performances on a warm, still night inside the Olympic Stadium.

The men's 5,000 metres produced the best performance of 2007, with Sileshi Sihine of Ethiopia outsprinting Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge to win in 13 minutes 1.46 seconds.

World 100 hurdles champion Michelle Perry also set the fastest time of the year in her event by winning in 12.44 seconds.

The American, who also won in Oslo and Paris, remains in the running for a share of the $1 million jackpot available to athletes who win their event at all six Golden League meetings.

Another American, Sanya Richards, remained in contention for the jackpot by winning the 400 in 49.77 seconds.

There was disappointment, however, in the women's pole vault, where the eagerly awaited duel between Russia's world record holder Yelena Isinbayeva and the improving Jennifer Stuczynski failed to materialise after the American pulled out with a back injury.

Isinbayeva underlined her supremacy in the event by clearing 4.90 metres at her first attempt – 25 centimetres higher than second-placed Katerina Badurova – before failing three times at a world record height of 5.02.

Results:

MEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Asafa Powell (Jamaica) 9.90 seconds; 2. Derrick Atkins (Bahamas) 10.02; 3. Churandy Martina (Netherlands Antilles) 10.10; 4. Mark Jelks (US) 10.17; 5. Nesta Carter (Jamaica) 10.19; 6. Simone Collio (Italy) 10.19; 7. Michael Frater (Jamaica) 10.22; 8. Shawn Crawford (US) 10.22.

400 metres: 1. LaShawn Merritt (US) 44.44 seconds; 2. Angelo Taylor (US) 44.55; 3. Johan Wissman (Sweden) 45.12; 4. Sanjay Ayre (Jamaica) 45.21; 5. Gary Kikaya (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 45.33; 6. Darold Williamson (US) 45.44; 7. Alleyne Francique (Grenada) 45.60; 8. David Gillick (Ireland) 45.81.

800 metres: 1. Manuel Olmedo (Spain) one minute 46.00 seconds; 2. Mohamed Al Salhi (Saudi Arabia) 1:46.18; 3. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (South Africa) 1:46.37; 4. Amine Laalou (Morocco) 1:46.42; 5. Khadevis Robinson (US) 1:46.50; 6. Michael Rimmer

(Britain) 1:46.57; 7. Samwel Mwera (Tanzania) 1:46.59; 8. Wilfred Bungei (Kenya) 1:46.59.1500 metres: 1. Adil Kaouch (Morocco) three minutes 30.77 seconds; 2. Tarek Boukensa (Algeria) 3:30.92; 3. Shadrack Korir (Kenya) 3:31.18; 4. Alex Kipchirchir (Kenya) 3:31.58; 5. Suleiman Simotwo (Kenya) 3:31.89; 6. Juan Carlos Higuero (Spain) 3:32.18; 7. Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (Kenya) 3:32.55; 8. Abdelati Iguider (Morocco) 3:32.75.

5000 metres: 1. Sileshi Sihine (Ethiopia) 13 minutes 01.46 seconds; 2. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 13:02.10; 3. Mushir Salim Jawher (Bahrain) 13:02.89; 4. Ahmed Baday (Morocco) 13:03.82; 5. Leonard Patrick Komon (Kenya) 13:04.79; 6. Sigei Kipngetich (Kenya) 13:06.71; 7. Jonas Cheruiyot (Kenya) 13:07.30; 8. Boniface Kiprop (Uganda) 13:07.46.

110-metre hurdles: 1. Anwar Moore (US) 13.16 seconds; 2. Dayron Robles (Cuba) 13.17; 3. David Oliver (US) 13.36; 4. Allen Johnson (US) 13.50; 5. Ladji Doucoure (France) 13.51; 6. Aries Merritt (US) 13.56; 7. Anselmo Silva (Brazil) 13.64; 8. Dominique Arnold (US) 13.80.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Louis van Zyl (South Africa) 48.24 seconds; 2. Kerron Clement (US) 48.26; 3. James Carter (US) 48.31; 4. Danny McFarlane (Jamaica) 49.36; 5. Derrick Williams (US) 49.63; 6. Felix Sanchez (Dominican Republic) 49.64; 7. Dai Tamesue (Japan) 49.81; 8. Kenneth Ferguson (US) 52.49.

Long jump: 1. Andrew Howe (Italy) 8.12 metres; 2. Miguel Pate (US) 8.06; 3. Godfrey Mokoena (South Africa) 8.02; 4. Salim Sdiri (France) 7.88; 5. Gable Garenamotse (Botswana) 7.86; 6. Issam Nima (Algeria) 7.81; 7. Aleksey Lukashevich (Ukraine) 7.76; 8. Robert Crowther (Australia) 7.68.Triple jump: 1. Christian Olsson (Sweden) 17.19 metres; 2. Osniel Tosca (Cuba) 17.10; 3. Danila Burkenya (Russia) 17.02; 4. Aarik Wilson (US) 16.98; 5. Jadel Gregorio (Brazil) 16.92; 6. Marian Oprea (Romania) 16.67; 7. Randy Lewis (Grenada) 16.58; 8. Nelson Evora (Portugal) 16.52.

Javelin throw: 1. Andreas Thorkildsen (Norway) 88.36 metres; 2. Tero Pitkaemaeki (Finland) 86.09; 3. Breaux Greer (US) 84.53; 4. Magnus Arvidsson (Sweden) 84.44; 5. Gerhardus Pienaar (South Africa) 81.89; 6. John Oosthuizen (South Africa) 81.22; 7. Aleksandr Ivanov (Russia) 80.27; 8. Vadims Vasilevskis (Latvia) 79.47.

WOMEN’S:

100 metres: 1. Torri Edwards (US) 11.03 seconds; 2. Me'Lisa Barber (US) 11.11; 3. Tezdzhan Naimova (Bulgaria) 11.14; 4. Allyson Felix (US) 11.18; 5. Marshevet Hooker (US) 11.21; 6. Carmelita Jeter (US) 11.22; 7. Rachelle Smith (US) 11.23; 8. Cydonie Mothersill (Cayman Islands) 11.25.

400 metres: 1. Sanya Richards (US) 49.77 seconds; 2. Amy Mbacke Thiam (Senegal) 50.15; 3. Natasha Hastings (US) 50.34; 4. Novlene Williams (Jamaica) 50.39; 5. DeeDee Trotter (US) 51.05; 6. Shericka Williams (Jamaica) 51.10; 7. Mary Wineberg (US) 51.20; 8. Ilona Usovich (Belarus) 51.75.

800 metres: 1. Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica) one minute 59.45 seconds; 2. Maite Martinez (Spain) 1:59.74; 3. Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) 1:59.87; 4. Lucia Klocova (Slovakia) 1:59.89; 5. Elisa Cusma Piccione (Italy) 2:00.04; 6. Alice Schmidt (US) 2:00.12; 7. Teodora Kolarova (Bulgaria) 2:00.13; 8. Tamsyn Lewis (Australia) 2:00.31.

5000 metres: 1. Meriem Alaoui Selsouli (Morocco) 14 minutes 36.52 seconds; 2. Kimberley Smith (New Zealand) 14:49.41; 3. Jessica Augusto (Portugal) 14:56.39; 4. Jennifer Rhines (US) 14:58.51; 5. Shalane Flanagan (US) 15:04.27; 6. Kayoko Fukushi (Japan) 15:05.73; 7. Deena Kastor (US) 15:13.82; 8. Linet Masai (Kenya) 15:21.79.

100-metre hurdles: 1. Michelle Perry (US) 12.44 seconds; 2. Josephine Onyia (Nigeria) 12.67; 3. Susanna Kallur (Sweden) 12.72; 4. Lolo Jones (US) 12.84; 5. Delloreen Ennis-London (Jamaica) 12.85; 6. Danielle Carruthers (US) 12.97; 7. Adrianna Lamalle (France) 13.22; 8. Micol Cattaneo (Italy) 13.27.

400-metre hurdles: 1. Jana Rawlison (Australia) 54.91 seconds; 2. Melanie Walker (Jamaica) 55.18; 3. Sandra Glover (US) 55.38; 4. Anna Jesien (Poland) 55.50; 5. Benedetta Ceccarelli (Italy) 56.56; 6. Anastasiya Rabchenyuk (Ukraine) 56.73; 7. Markita James (US) 56.96; 8. Dominiqe Darden (US) 58.57.

High jump: 1. Blanka Vlasic (Croatia) 2.02 metres; 2. Kajsa Bergqvist (Sweden) 2.00; 3. Ruth Beitia (Spain) 1.98; 4. Antonietta Di Martino (Italy) 1.95; 5. Amy Acuff (US) 1.95; 6. Emma Green (Sweden) 1.95; 7. Vita Palamar (Ukraine) 1.90; 8. Viktoriya Styopina (Ukraine) 1.90.

Pole vault: 1. Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia) 4.90 metres; 2. Katerina Badurova (Czech Republic) 4.65; 3. Tatyana Polnova (Russia) 4.65; 4 equal. Yuliya Golubchikova (Russia) 4.60, 4 equal. Monika Pyrek (Poland) 4.60; 6 equal. Svetlana Feofanova (Russia) 4.50, 6 equal. Kym Howe (Australia) 4.50; 8. Naroa Agirre (Spain) 4.50.—Reuters