Former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell retires at age 40

Four-time World Athletics champion and former 100m world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica announced his retirement on Twitter on Sunday following his 40th birthday on Nov. 23.

“Chapter 40 and retired, a new phase of life,” tweeted Powell. “As I say goodbye to the sport, I’d like to thank all my loyal fans that stood by me my entire career and even now. I am also thankful for the opportunities the sport has given me.”

Powell first set the 100m world record of 9.77 seconds in 2005 before lowering the mark to 9.74 seconds the following year at a Diamond League meet in Gateshead, U.K.

He broke his record on two more occasions, lowering his 100m best to 9.74 seconds, a record that stood until his compatriot Usain Bolt broke it in May 2008 (9.72). Bolt became the first runner to run under 9.7 seconds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won gold in 9.69 seconds.

Powell won four World Athletics finals in the 100m between 2004 and 2008, beating rival Tyson Gay of Team USA on three occasions. When Bolt came onto the 100m scene in 2008, the youngster began to dominate the sport, and Powell never won an individual Olympic or world championship gold thereafter.

In 2013, Powell tested positive for the banned drug oxilofrine and had to withdraw from the 2013 World Athletics Championships, but claimed he did not knowingly take any banned supplements. Oxilofrine increases adrenaline production and boosts endurance, focus, alertness and heart rate.

Powell ends his career with one Olympic gold medal from the 4x100m relay at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Powell ran under 10 seconds 97 times in his career, and ran his final 100m race in May 2021, where he clocked 10.07 sec with a (+4.5 m/s) favourable wind.