Powell cruises to 100m win in Australia

Jamaica's former world record holder Asafa Powell defied a strong headwind to easily win his first 100 metres race of the year in Australia yesterday.

Powell cruised to victory in 10.23 seconds at the first World Athletics Tour meeting of 2009 at Melbourne's Olympic Park despite running into a 1.4 metre a second headwind that ruined his hopes of breaking 10 seconds.

"I really just wanted to get this race over with because the first race always messes with your mind," Powell told reporters.

"So, I got this over with and I know where I'm at. I got home safely and there are no injuries so I'm happy."

Australia's Olympic pole vault champion Steve Hooker won his eighth straight competition, dating back to the Beijing Games last August, with a clearance of 5.80 but said he was still disappointed.

"I was really hoping I'd be able to jump six metres in front of my family and supporters," he said.

Australia's Olympic silver medalist Sally McLellan won the 100 hurdles and 100 flat double while former British Commonwealth champion Chris Rawlinson was third in the 400 hurdles in his first race for three years and his first since changing nationalities to Australia.