Gatlin sets 100 metres world record of 9.76

DOHA, May 13 (Reuters) World and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin broke the 100 metres world record with a time of 9.76 seconds at an IAAF Super Tour meeting on Friday. The 24-year-old American beat the previous mark of 9.77 set by Jamaica's Asafa Powell in Athens in June last year to finish ahead of Nigeria's Olusoji Fasuba (9.84) and fellow American Shawn Crawford (10.08), the Olympic 200 metres champion.

"I am the best of the best because I am the Olympic champion, the world champion and the world record holder now," Gatlin told reporters.

"I thought I would do it and I kept my word. I am a man who likes challenges and my acceleration today was phenomenal." Gatlin announced he had his sights set on the world record earlier this week after clocking 9.95 seconds in his first outing of the season in Osaka last Saturday.

He recorded the previous fastest time in the world this year, 9.85 seconds, in the Doha semis. In the final, Crawford received a warning for a false start.

Gatlin, in lane four, trailed Fasuba at the halfway mark on the resumption before changing gears smoothly to clinch victory and end his Doha jinx.

In 2004, the American was beaten here by Crawford while last year he was pipped by Olympic runner-up Francis Obikwelu of Portugal.

Gatlin and Powell, who also ran 9.95 in Kingston, Jamaica at the weekend, are due to clash at a grand prix meeting in Gateshead, England on June 11.

The pair last met on the track in London last July when Powell pulled up with a groin problem that put paid to his season. Gatlin said the world record could go again later in 2006. "The timings could be further improved this year, probably in Europe," said Gatlin, who dedicated his record to God and his parents.

World champion Bershawn Jackson of the U.S. won the men's 400 hurdles in 48.65 ahead of Greek Periklis Iakovakis (49.82).

Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania set a meet record in the men's discus with a throw of 69.47 metres. Olympic champion Allyson Felix of the U.S. won the women's 200 in 22.77 despite being hampered by a hamstring injury.

Compatriot Stephanie Durst, who earlier won the 100 in a wind-assisted 11.12, finished second. World champion Perry Michelle of the U.S. was disqualified in the women's 100 hurdles for failing to cross the ninth obstacle and pushing it down with her hands.

The race was won by Jamaican Delloreen Ennis-London. Russian Oksana Udmurtova leapt a year's best 7.02 metres to win the long jump ahead of Olympic champion Tatyana Lebedeva.