RIETI, Italy — Asafa Powell failed over two attempts to break Usain Bolt's world record in the 100 metres at the Rieti Grand Prix on Sunday.
Powell clocked 9.77 seconds in his semifinal heat and then ran 9.82 to win the event on the same track where he set a then-world record of 9.74 a year ago.
Bolt established the current world mark of 9.69 at last month's Beijing Olympics, where Powell finished fifth.
Powell was helped by a slight tail wind for both of his runs Sunday and had training partner Michael Frater running alongside him in the final. Still, he couldn't produce his best in what was his final competition of the season.
Jamaica's Asafa Powell, right, and his compatriot Michael Frater compete in the 100 metres event at the IAAF Rieti Grand Prix in Rieti near Rome September 7, 2008. Powell took the 100 m in 9.82. (Giampiero Sposito/Reuters)
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Bolt, who beat Powell again in Brussels on Friday, has already ended his season.
"After seven races in five days I'm a little tired," Powell said. "Now, I'm going on vacation. The rivalry with Usain will resume in 2009, which will be an important year with the World Championships, but who knows if he and I will have the same form as this year."
Frater, who teamed with Powell and Bolt on Jamaica's team that set the 4x100-metre relay world record in Beijing, finished second in 9.98.
Ronald Pognon of France was third in 10.10 on a clear evening in this central Italian town.
World champion Bernard Lagat, the American who failed to win a medal in Beijing, got a small measure of revenge by taking the 1,500 metres in 3:32.75 — not far off Daniel Komen's leading time this year of 3:31.49.
Nate Brannen of Cambridge, Ont., was sixth in 3:38.51, while Kevin Sullivan of Brantford, Ont., was ninth in 3:42.93.
Nicole Forrester of Aurora, Ont., cleared 1.88 metres to finish seventh in the women's high jump. American Chaunte Howard took the gold with 2.00 metres.
Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia failed to improve her world record in the 5,000, winning in 14:23.46 — off the mark of 14:11.15 she set in June at the Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway.
Last month in Beijing, Dibaba became the first woman to sweep the 5,000 and 10,000 golds.
Dibaba's 17-year-old sister Genzebe finished third Sunday in 15:09.61.
Like in Beijing, Jamaica's sprinting dominance extended to the women's races.
Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser registered another victory in the 100, clocking 11.06, with joint Beijing silver medallist Kerron Stewart again second in 11.11.
Also, Shericka Williams of Jamaica won the 200 in 22.50.
In the 400 hurdles, Malaine Walker followed up her Beijing gold by crossing in 55.01 — significantly slower than her Olympic record 52.64. Olympic bronze medallist Tasha Danvers of Britain was second in 55.25.
Gelete Burka won the women's mile in 4:18.23, pulling away from Bahrain's Maryam Yussuf Jamal in the final 30 metres. Jamal had intentions on breaking Svetlana Masterkova's world record of 4:12.56 set in 1996 but crossed second in 4:19.50.
World champion Alfred Kirwa Yego, the bronze medallist in Beijing, won the men's 800 in 1:44.69. Olympic champion Wilfred Bungei crossed second in 1:45.05 and rising Kenyan middle-distance specialist Asbel Kiprop — a silver medallist in the 1,500 in Beijing — was third in 1:45.15.
Olympic silver medallist Tatyana Lebedeva won the triple jump with a leap of 14.94 meters and fellow Russian Anna Pyatykh took second with 14.91. Beijing winner Francoise Mbango Etone of Cameroon settled for third at 14.90.
Miguel Pate of the United States landed at 8.21 to win the long jump, while European outdoor and indoor champion Andrew Howe settled for fifth with 8.01 at his hometown meet.
Bothered by a series of injuries, Howe did not get through the qualifying round in Beijing.
