Asafa Powell is a Jamaican retired sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres. A two-time world record holder in the event, he ran 9.77 and 9.74 seconds between 2005 and 2008, with a personal best of 9.72 seconds that ranked him fourth on the all-time list. Powell broke the 10-second barrier more than any other sprinter in history, surpassing 97 sub-10 performances. He also holds the world record in the 100-yard dash at 9.07 seconds, set in 2010 in Ostrava.
Powell competed at three Olympic Games in the 100 metres, finishing fifth in both 2004 and 2008. In 2016, he earned Olympic gold as part of Jamaica's 4x100 metres relay team. On the World Championships stage, he won bronze in the 100 metres and silver in the relay at the 2007 edition in Osaka, and followed up with a 100 metres bronze and relay gold at the 2009 World Championships. He also enjoyed success at the Commonwealth Games, collecting two gold medals and a silver, and won five times at the IAAF World Athletics Final.
In 2013, Powell tested positive for the stimulant oxilofrine and voluntarily withdrew from that year's World Championships. He received an 18-month suspension, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport lifted the ban in July 2014 after finding the substance was an undisclosed ingredient in a supplement he had taken.
As of Sep 12, 2026: 100 m 9.72 (#4 all-time), 60 m 6.44=, 2021 season best 10.07 (May 2, 2021, National Training Center, Clermont, FL (USA)) · Olympic Games: 1 gold · World Championships: 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze · 43 years old
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