Jamaica's Powell Breaks 100-Meter Dash Record
Asafa Powell during his record-breaking 100-meter victory at the Athens Super Grand Prix.
Jamaica's Asafa Powell lowers the world record in the men's 100 meters to 9.77 seconds. His time at a meet in Athens, Greece, trims one-hundredth of a second off the previous mark, set in 2002.
100-Meter History
The progression of the men's 100-meter world record as recognized by the International Amateur Athletic Federation, track and field's worldwide governing body:
1912: 10.6, Donald Lippincott, USA
1921: 10.4, Charles Paddock, USA
1930: 10.3, Percy Williams, Canada
1936: 10.2, Jesse Owens, USA
1956: 10.1, Willie Williams, USA
1960: 10.0, Armin Hary, W. Germany
1968: 9.99, Jim Hines, USA
1968: 9.95, Jim Hines, USA
1983: 9.93, Calvin Smith, USA
1988: 9.92, Carl Lewis, USA
1991: 9.90, Leroy Burrell, USA
1991: 9.86, Carl Lewis, USA
1994: 9.85, Leroy Burrell, USA
1996: 9.84, Donovan Bailey, Canada
1999: 9.79, Maurice Greene, USA
2002: 9.78, Tim Montgomery, USA
2005: 9.77, Asafa Powell, Jamaica
In the past two months, Asafa Powell has run two of the fastest 100-meter times in history:
9.77, Asafa Powell, Jamaica, June 14, 2005.
9.78, Tim Montgomery, United States, Sept. 14, 2002.
9.79, Maurice Greene, United States, June 16, 1999.
9.80, Maurice Greene, United States, Aug. 22, 1999.
9.82, Maurice Greene, United States, Aug. 5, 2001.
9.84, Donovan Bailey, Canada, July 27, 1996.
9.84, Bruny Surin, Canada, Aug. 22, 1999.
9.84, Tim Montgomery, United States, July 13, 2001.
9.84, Asafa Powell, Jamaica, May 7, 2005.
(The Associated Press)
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