Genes may carry Powell to 100m gold

Recent victories over Olympic champion Maurice Greene add to the Jamaican sprinter's contention that he can win the Athens Games' 100 metres gold in only his second full year on the international circuit.

"I'm not sure he's going to come back to beat me," the 21-year-old Powell said of Greene during a news conference. "Let him stay at the back."

Neither the extra rounds of a championship nor Greene's experience, Powell said, will keep him from the gold.

"I am real confident, real confident.

"And to win the gold medal would mean the world to me because the Olympics is the biggest event in the world," said the Kingston university student who wants to be an electrical engineer.

"It doesn't make a difference that he (Greene) has run faster," Powell said of the former world record holder's lifetime best of 9.79 seconds. "I know I can go faster."

After all, Powell has special genes.

FAMILY OF SPRINTERS

Five of his brothers have stepped on to the track as sprinters at some level. One, Donovan, made it to the Sydney Olympics, competing as a 4x100 metres relay alternate.

No Powell, though, has run faster than Asafa who clocked a personal best of 9.91 seconds in beating Greene in London.

"It built up my confidence a lot," Powell said. "It told me I was up there (as an elite sprinter) and to just stay on top."

He has no explanation for his progress this year other than hard work and a 2003 season in which he ran the fastest preliminary round in the world championships (10.05) before being disqualified in the quarter-finals.

"After last year, I knew that I was going to become stronger this year and would be running a lot faster," Powell said.

Donovan has movitated him a lot since he started running, the younger brother said, "telling me to stay focused, stay healthy and do my best".

But he had no magic recipe for winning the gold.

"That's my secret," said Powell.