THE state of mind of Jamaica’s Asafa Powell will be severely tested when he matches strides with American nemesis Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay in the 100m at the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland today.

Only three Jamaicans will be in action as Nickel Ashmeade is down to compete in the 200m, while Novlene Williams-Mills will participate in the 400m which is set to begin at 11:00 am (Jamaican time).

In what is expected to be the most explosive 100m of the year so far, Powell, Gatlin and Gay are expected to provide fireworks, despite this event not being a Diamond Race in the series.

With injury hampering Usain Bolt and with the recovering Yohan Blake out of the picture, Powell has once again emerged as Jamaica’s great hope heading into the World Championships in Beijing, China, next month, and he has won back many admirers after logging times of 9.81 and 9.84 seconds twice in recent times.

Former world record holder Powell, a four-time winner in Lausanne (2004, 2008, 2009, 2011), will line up in lane seven, with Gatlin in lane four and Gay in lane five. Deondre Batson (9.94) of the USA; Keston Bledman (9.86) of Trinidad and Tobago; St Kitts and Nevis’s Kim Collins (9.98); Femi Ogunode (9.91) of Qatar; and American Mike Rodgers (9.90) complete the field.

Gatlin is currently in the form of his life and is the world leader with 9.74 seconds and also has the second-fastest time with 9.75 and is expected to demonstrate today, why he is the howling favourite for the World Championships gold next month.

Gay, with a season’s best of 9.87 seconds, has played down the significance of the clash saying it’s just another race at the press conference in the Swiss City.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s 200m champion Nickel Ashmeade lines up in a very competitive 200m field including 2009 World Championships silver medallist Alonso Edward of Panama and the second fastest man this year over the distance, Isiah Young of the USA with 19.93.

Gatlin, with 19.57 seconds, is the world leader and, in fact, has the four fastest times with 19.68, 19.90 and 19.92 seconds.

In the absence of the world record holder Bolt and Gatlin, the race remains a quality one with several runners occupying top 10 world-leading positions. Young (19.93), his countryman Ameer Webb (20.02), South Africa’s Anasho Jobodwana (20.04), promising Zharnel Hughes (20.15) now of Great Britain, Netherlands’ Churandy Martina with a personal best of 19.85 and Likourgos Stefanos Tsakonas of Greece with a season’s best of 20.09 seconds are some of the leading sprinters so far this season.

Jamaica’s Novlene Williams-Mills, with a season’s best of 51.11 seconds, who skipped the Jamaica Senior Championship because of her automatic berth to the World Championships as the Diamond league winner, has it all to do in the 400m in a race involving Americans Sanya Richards-Ross (49.95), Natasha Hasting (50.25) and Phyllis Francis (50.67). The emerging Shaunae Miller (50.17) of the Bahamas and Regina George (51.30) of Nigeria are also serious contenders.

And of interest to Jamaicans is the fact that it is decisodion day for American 400m champion Allyson Felix, who will run the 200m today, after which she and her coach will decide if she will double up at the World Championships.

“My coach Bobby (Kersee) is going to watch me here and then he will make his final decision,” said Felix at the press conference yesterday. “I would love to do the double in Beijing, but in my opinion at the moment the schedule just doesn’t allow for it. To me, it’s really disappointing.”

Felix is the 2012 Olympic 200m champion, and if she opts out of the 200m and despite the absence of defending champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Jamaica’s chances of copping gold would be enhanced with Elaine Thompson, Sherone Simpson and Veronica Campbell-Brown.