Tyson Gay of the US and Asafa Powell of Jamaica (right) compete in the men's 100 metres final at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championship in Osaka. - file

Asafa Powell believes the highly talked about USA/Jamaica Challenge is not important.

Powell, who ran a scorching 8.70 seconds on the anchor leg of the Jamaican 4x100-metre relay team that set a world record 37.10 seconds at the Olympics in Beijing, believes there are other ways to determine the best sprinters.

"I don't really see the importance of it," he told The Gleaner.

"There are many Grand Prix and Golden League meets out there that we are going to be competing in against each other, so it doesn't make any sense to me."

Challenge letter

US Track and Field, through its general secretary and chief executive officer, Douglas G. Logan, issued a challenge to Jamaica last month in a letter delivered to Neville 'Teddy' McCook, the former Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) president who now heads the North America, Central America and Caribbean Track and Field Association, in Florida.

However, with limited time to plan, the JAAA and USA Track & Field reached an agreement late last month to look at the possibility of staging the 'Challenge' near May next year.

The races would feature male and female athletes in the 100, 200, 400 metres, 100m/110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump, 4x100, 4x400 and sprint medley relays.

"The World Championships is coming up (August) and they are going to be out there, the same athletes, so I don't really see the relevance of it," Powell pointed out.

Powell's focus

Meanwhile, Powell said his main focus this season is to work on his strength.

"I am just working to get stronger so I can go through the four rounds at the World Championships, so when I get to the final round ... it feels like it's the first round."

So far, he believes his personal best 400m run in February, has given him a physical and "mental boost".

On February 28, Powell clocked a personal best 45.94 seconds for fourth at the Sydney Track Classic in Australia.

"To run 45.9 means that I am in good shape and very strong," he explained. "It gives me the boost to know that I can go through the rounds now."