If there was any doubt that this is the greatest men's sprint season ever the performances at the World Athletics Final might have put that to rest. Consider the following:
- Liu Xiang won the 110H with the third fastest time of his caree (12.93). The Olympic champion and World record holder has only run faster when setting his two world records, in Lausanne this summer (12.88) and when taking his Olympic crown in Athens (12.91) in 2004.
-
Tyson Gay (Getty Images)Tyson Gay equaled the third-fastest time ever run in the 200-meters to clinch victory in 19.68 seconds. He demolished his training mate Wallace Spearmon who ran what would otherwise be considered an amazing time (19.88). It wasn't too long ago that 19.88 would have made the top ten 200m performances of all time. At the rate this season is going it may not make the top ten list of 200m performances in 2006.
- Asafa Powell ran another blistering time in the 100m (9.89 – WAF 100m record) in a close race against World Indoor 60m champion Leonard Scott (9.91) and Tyson Gay (9.92). This was Powell's 12th time under 10 seconds this season (2 more than any other athlete) and extended his winning streak to twenty-two consecutive wins.
- Jeremy Wariner also set a new WAF record of 44.02 to edge out Gary Kikaya, who broke the African Record with a 44.10 run in second place. Youngster Lashawn Merritt ran third in 44.14.