LONDON, England — The results of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown that Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell’s groin injury was aggravated during Sunday night’s men’s 100m finals which saw him hobble across the finish line in eighth place in 11.99 seconds.

Team physician, Dr Winston Dawes who accompanied the athlete to seek medical treatment on Monday, told the Jamaica Observer on Wednesday morning that the MRI showed an “acute” injury and said he had advised the athlete and his coach, Stephen Francis, that they “get it sorted out once and for all”.

There were reports circulating that Powell also suffered back issues, but Dr Dawes said “there could be back aches” as “everything is interconnected in that area”. He recommeded that the best thing for the powerful athlete was to cancel his other races for the rest of the season and get his injuries sorted out.

Powell, the former World Record holder and two-time World Championships 100m bronze medallist, was seeking his first individual medal at the Olympics after anchoring the men’s 4x100m team to gold and a World Record four years ago in Beijing, China.

His problems with the groin injury is well known and he reportedly flew to the United States the morning before the semi-finals and final of the men’s 100m at the JAAA/Supreme Ventures National Trials in June after the first rounds on Thursday night.

He won his semi-final race, beating Yohan Blake but was third in the final behind Blake and Usain Bolt, pulling up just before the finish line.

— PR

Asafa Powell grimaces at the end of the men’s 100m final at the London Olympics on Sunday.

(Photo: Bryan Cummings)