In the summer of 2004, a sprinter by the name of Justin Gatlin broke many hearts and in the process asked many questions of another sprinter (Asafa Powell) which, to this day, remain unanswered.

I refer to the Greece Olympics…the 28^th edition of ‘Track and Field’s Greatest Show on Earth’ and arguably the most exciting event of the championships…the prestigious 100 meter race.

Winning the 100 meters at the Olympics brings unmatched accolades and gives exclusivity to the claim of Fastest Man on earth. In the summer of 2004…the American Justin Gatlin was that man...running the race of his life to beat Asafa Powell and disappoint many track and field fans who had anointed the Caribbean star pre-race favorite.

I recall the day clearly. I know buzz and excitement; but August 22, 2004 brought a new meaning. Would Asafa live up to his amazing form up to that point and take the race or would he surrender like a lamb to the big occasion?

Sure Asafa had run some brilliant times leading up to Greece but no one for a moment, thought this race was going to be a walk over…there were stars everywhere. Stars like Justin Gatlin (60 Meter Indoor Champion), Shawn Crawford, Kim Collins (World Champion) and Obadele Thompson. Lest we forget, Maurice Greene (former Olympic champion) was also there. He was past prime; but was thought by many to be a potential spoiler.

Ahhh…finally, after 3 grueling rounds, it was time for the big race…the race with the ultimate bragging right…Fastest Human on earth! It was a jam-packed stadium and people all over the world, I am sure, glued to their TV sets and radios. The air was thick with a mixture of tension, great excitement and unbridled anticipation.

The pre-race brief was promising…the odds-on favorite was still Asafa Powell. It was fleeting comfort though…the 100 meter race has been the ‘preserve’ of great American sprinters throughout the history of the Olympics…these guys apparently knew how to perform on the “big day" and no one wanted to argue with that fact.

Deep down…deep, deep down, however, something was pushing the boundaries of hope…trying to convince us that things were going to be very different this time around. We fell hook, line and sinker!

But then an ominous sign….just moments before getting the sprinters under starter's orders…a sprinter’s worst nightmare…a delay (in this case lasting as I recall for at least 5 very anxious minutes). In those endless moments, Asafa made a mistake befitting a sprinting neophyte. Drenched in sweat as if he had already run the race and visibly overwhelmed by the occasion…he lay flat on his back on the track to pass the stressful moments.

The roomful of screaming friends I had gathered with to watch the race were becoming delirious. For me, though, it was more disbelief. I was convinced that for a race lasting barely 10 seconds…a race relying so much on pinpoint accuracy and focus, lying down just prior to the start would upset one’s mental and physical equilibrium…I got a sick feeling in my stomach.

I was dead right! For although Justin Gatlin got up and ran like a man on steroids, I had no doubt that Asafa’s dismal 5^th place finish was a direct result of the athlete’s fatal decision to lay flat on the track prior to the race. That coupled with pre-race nerves made for a deadly combination that handed Justin Gatlin the race in a time of 9.85 seconds and title of Fastest Human in 2006.

Amidst Gatlin’s triumph, track and field fans, (but more so) Caribbean folk, for days continued to talk about the disappointment with many wondering whether or not Asafa…who promised so much in 2006 would have such a golden opportunity again. And with another failure at the 2007 World Championships, where he finished 3^rd behind Tyson Gay, some continue to wonder whether or not he had the mettle to perform on track and field’s “big race days”.

Great news though…we will all get our answers very soon! Beijing 2008 is just a month away and the 29^th holding of track and field’s pride and joy will prove if Asafa can capitalize on all the hard work and the many successes he has had since Greece, including World Record Holder at 9.74 and take what rightfully belonged to him in 2004.

We can only hope. Fellow country man Usain Bolt has already planted a seed of doubt by running a stunning 9.72 just last month. The remarkable feat, put in context, is even more amazing considering that Bolt has run the 100 meters only a few times. It’s enough to make one wonder about Asafa and what fatal mistake he will make this time around.