FORMER men’s 100m world record holder Asafa Powell continued his preparation for the JAAA National Trials later this month after breaking the meeting record at a regional meet in Marseille, France yesterday.

The Jamaican clocked 10.05 seconds into a strong head wind of negative 2.4 metres per second.

Powell, the second fastest man this year behind American Justin Gatlin with 9.84 seconds set while winning the 100m at the Jamaica International invitational in early May, smashed the six-year-old record of 10.17 seconds set by Dwaine Chambers of Great Britain in 2009.

Wilfried Koffi of Ivory Coast was second in 10.29 seconds and Lethoso’s Mesito Lehata was third in 10.30 seconds, just ahead of France’s Christophe Lemaitre 10.31 seconds.

Jamaican Winston Barnes was seventh in 10.48 seconds, while Daniel Bailey of Antigua ran 10.38 seconds for fifth place.

In the women’s 100m race, Olympic Games silver medallists Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson were second and third in 11.34 seconds and 11.42 seconds, respectively.

Ivory Coast’s Marie Jose Ta Lou won the event in 11.32 seconds, all three under the old record 11.44 seconds set in 2009 by Gabon’s Ruddy Zang Milama.

Former Wolmer’s Boys’ and Jamaican representative Julian Reid was second in the long jump, tying his personal best 8.08m set in 2011 in Kingston, the same year he switched allegiances to Great Britain.

He also beat his previous season’s best 8.07m set last month in England.

— Paul Reid