ATHENS, Greece (AFP) – Jamaica’s Asafa Powell broke the 100 metres world record here yesterday running 9.77 seconds.

The 22 year-old’s mark eclipses the old time of 9.78 seconds set by Tim Montgomery in Paris in September 2002.

Powell, who failed to live up to his reputation in the Olympics last year, finishing fifth in the final, blew away from the blocks and was never threatened, as he finished metres ahead of his closest rival.

Ironically, the same meeting produced a world record in the same event in June 16, 1999, when Maurice Greene set the mark with a time of 9.79.

Powell – who broke the record in front of a sparse crowd at the cavernous Olympic stadium – had set his sights on the world mark after a world season best of 9.84 seconds last month.

“I am very happy that in my second appearance here in Greece I achieved this performance. It is amazing that after Greene, I also achieved a world record in this stadium,” he said.

He said he knew he could break the record.

“If you ask what I can do more this year, you will just have to wait until the end of this season to see.

“My father’s faith inspires me a lot.

“I always wondered what it would be like to break a world record. I achieved my goal.”

Second in the race was Ghana’s Aziz Zakari in 9.99 with Jamaica’s Michael Frater placing third with a 10.03 clocking, both personal bests.

Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson edged out Zhanna Block of Ukraine in the women’s 100 metres on the line to win the race in 11:16 seconds.

In the men’s 110 metres hurdles, American Arend Watkins, despite a slow start and hitting some of the hurdles, came through to win with a season-best clocking of 13.23 seconds, beating his closest opponent, Ukraine’s Sergey Demidyuk, by a stride.

Athens Olympics silver medal winner Hasna Benhassi of Morocco won the 800 metres women’s competition, as she sprinted at the end to win the event in one minute, 59.60 seconds, edging out Greece’s Maria Papadopoulou, who set a national record with a 1:59.79 clocking.

In the women’s 400 metres hurdles Australian Jana Pittman easily won the race with a season’s best of 53.44 seconds, with Poland’s Anna Jesien a distant second at 54.27.

In the men’s 400 metres hurdles, Louis van Zyl of South Africa, with a great sprint at the end, took the event in 48.16 seconds, beating out Greece’s Pericles Iakovakis, who was second in 48.24.

Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson edged out Zhanna Block of Ukraine in the women’s 100 metres on the line to win the race in 11:16 seconds.

Bulgaria’s star 100m runner Ivet Lalova was unable to take part after suffering a knee injury during the warm-up and was taken to hospital.

In the men’s 3000 metres steeplechase, Saif Shaheen of Qatar won in a world-leading time of seven minutes, 57.28 seconds, which was also a meet record. Second was Kenya’s Wilson Boit Kipketer in 8:09.32.

Jaroslav Baba of the Czech Republic captured the men’s high jump with a leap of 2.32 metres, beating out Sweden’s Stefan Holm, who jumped the same height but lost on more misses.

Mbulaeni Mulauzi of South Africa had a world-leading best of one minute, 44.12 seconds in winning the men’s 800 metres, edging out Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei.

The grand prix was the first major athletics competition at the Athens Olympic Stadium since the Olympic Games.